Baltimore Failure to Diagnose Cancer Lawyer
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is very frightening, and it is common for people to worry about the future of them and their families. Fortunately, many different types of cancer are treatable when they are caught early and patients receive the proper care they need. When a doctor fails to properly diagnose cancer, it is a matter of life and death for the patient. If you or a loved one was not properly diagnosed with cancer and suffered harm as a result, our Baltimore failure to diagnose cancer lawyer can provide the sound legal advice you need.
What is Failure to Diagnose Cancer?
Many people think a failure to diagnose cancer occurs only when a doctor fails to correctly diagnose the cancer. This is certainly one type of failure to diagnose cancer, and it is caused by a number of different factors. A doctor may misinterpret the results of tests they order, or they may not pay the proper attention to a patient’s symptoms. In other cases, a doctor may fail to order appropriate early detection tests, such as a mammogram, that can save a patient’s life.
The other type of failure to diagnose cancer is when the doctor does provide a cancer diagnosis, but it is for the wrong type of cancer. A patient suffering from breast cancer for example, may not benefit from the same treatment given for oral cancer.
Regardless of the type of failure to diagnose cancer, it is almost always medical malpractice and healthcare professionals should be held accountable for paying damages for any losses incurred.
Common Types of Cancers Not Properly Diagnosed
A doctor may fail to diagnose any type of cancer, but there are some types doctors overlook more often than others. These include:
- Breast cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Colon cancer/colorectal cancer
- Endometrial cancer
- Melanoma cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
Negligence and Failure to Diagnose Cancer
Patients can file a medical malpractice claim after a doctor has failed to diagnose cancer, but they must first prove the doctor was negligent. This is very difficult without the help of a Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer.
To determine if a doctor was negligent when failing to diagnose cancer, patients must show the doctor deviated from the acceptable standard of care. For example, if a patient complained of cancer-like symptoms and the doctor did not test for it, that is an example of negligence. A medical professional in the same field as the defendant would have to testify that the doctor did not provide the acceptable standard of care.
Even when a patient does not complain of cancer-like symptoms, doctors can still be held liable for a failure to diagnose in certain situations. Some cancers, such as prostate and breast cancer, require patients to undergo certain tests for early detection. When doctors fail to recommend these tests and it results in a cancer going undetected, patients can also sue for a failure to diagnose.
Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Baltimore Can Advise on Your Case
If you or someone you love has suffered harm due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose cancer, allow our Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers to advise on your case. At Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC, our skilled attorneys know how to hold medical professionals accountable when they do not provide the proper care, and we will put our experience to work for you. Call us today at 410-998-3600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
