Delayed Cancer Diagnosis

Faced with a life-threatening and costly disease, cancer patients deserve prompt and competent service from their physicians. Typically, early detection and treatment of this disease increases the patient’s chance of living a healthy, cancer-free life. This is why it is crucial for medical professionals to correctly diagnose cancer as soon as their patients show valid signs.

Unfortunately, misdiagnosis of serious conditions is the most common medical malpractice complaint in the US. Further, according to the John Hopkins Hospital, one in every 71 cases of cancer is misdiagnosed, while one in every five cases of this disease is misclassified.

This makes cancer one of the conditions most prone to physician errors.

When a disease this serious is misdiagnosed or diagnosed late, the patient is likely burdened with more medical costs, a missed opportunity for effective treatment, and increased anxieties over his or her health. For this suffering, the law may entitle the patient to rightful compensation.

If a medical provider in South Carolina has failed to correctly or promptly diagnose your condition, you may be able to make a medical malpractice claim. Talk to Kassel McVey, one of the most trusted law firms in Columbia. Our firm can provide you with clear answers, compassionate service, and powerful legal representation for your claim. Our goal is not just to win, but to help you cope and find healing beyond the legal case.

How Cancer Is Misdiagnosed

The term “misdiagnosis” can refer to any of several errors. One of the most damaging examples is when a doctor fails to diagnose or detect a patient’s existing disease – in other words, the cancer is left undiagnosed. A medical professional could also misclassify the cancer or fail to correctly identify its type, stage, or location. These errors can be deadly because they can lead a patient to miss the vital and timely treatment he or she needs.

Conversely, a healthcare provider could also give an incorrect cancer diagnosis to a person who does not have this condition. Not only does this divert medical attention away from a patient’s real condition, it could also lead to unnecessary costs. The worrying diagnosis could be enough to make the patient undergo needless procedures like additional testing, surgery, and chemotherapy.

In a survey by the National Coalition on Health Care, cancer specialists revealed that the most frequently misdiagnosed cancer types are lymphoma, breast cancer, sarcomas, melanomas, it is often wise to further explore diagnostic results or get a second opinion. Patients must never be afraid to ask questions to fully understand their diagnoses and how their doctors arrived at those conclusions.
Potential Liable Parties In Cancer Misdiagnosis

The errors that result in cancer misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can occur at any point in the medical process, involving various medical providers aside from doctors.

For instance, a general practitioner may have neglected the patient’s initial symptoms or failed to refer him or her to a specialist. A specialist may have failed to order appropriate tests. A medical technician may have made a mistake when administering a test or providing the test results. Even hospital management could be cited for mishandling patients’ samples, or a manufacturer could be questioned for faulty diagnostic equipment.

This means a patient may be able to bring up a medical malpractice case against various parties. The important criterion in determining liability is whether the medical provider failed the professional “standard of care”. This term refers to the expected or reasonable action that an average professional would take under the same circumstances.

An experienced medical malpractice attorney can help a patient establish that a medical provider or providers fell short of their standard of care, leading to the misdiagnosis.

How Kassel McVey Effectively Helps Misdiagnosed Patients

No one should be saddled with the stress and costs that result from a cancer misdiagnosis. Those who experienced this suffering find that monetary compensation greatly alleviates the burden, especially the financial expenses. Thus, in the aftermath of an incorrect or delayed cancer diagnosis, a malpractice lawsuit can be worth pursuing.

We at Kassel McVey have repeatedly achieved ideal outcomes for patients and their families who have brought medical malpractice claims. In fact, for decades now, we have been winning large settlements and verdicts for our clients. We combine our effective legal services with family-like treatment of each client, so they don’t feel unnecessarily stressed during their case.

Our process begins with a free consultation, where we listen to the patient who received an incorrect or late diagnosis. We try to understand where the diagnosis could have gone wrong, and how much the patient has suffered because of it. If we see that the case needs a closer look, we tap into our network of medical specialists who provide us with highly proficient and honest opinions.

When we take on a case, we work diligently to make it as robust as possible. We gather evidence, enlist expert support, and create powerful legal strategies. We thoroughly research medical files, related documents, and similar cases in the medical and legal fields. Our experienced lawyers can then aggressively assert the case in or out of court. We do all this even when faced with well-resourced doctors or hospitals.

Throughout the case, our team consistently provides each client with clear answers and updates.

Contact Kassel McVey Today

Do you believe that a medical provider incorrectly diagnosed you or delayed your diagnosis? You will want to act as soon as possible, because South Carolina has a “Statute of Limitations” that sets deadlines on medical malpractice lawsuits.

Start by exploring your case with an experienced lawyer. Call (803) 256-4242 for a free consultation.