The National Cancer Institute estimates that over 611,000 people in the United States will die from cancer in 2024. It may be impossible to know how many of these are the result of late or missed diagnoses, but it is likely that some of these deaths could have been avoided or delayed if oncologists and other doctors had diagnosed the patients properly.
The experienced medical malpractice attorneys at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, understand the importance of a timely cancer diagnosis. Whether you have an aggressive form of cancer or a slow-growing form, accessing potentially life-saving treatments sooner rather than later is critical. If you or a loved one have suffered harm due to a medical professional’s failure to diagnose your cancer, a Litchfield cancer misdiagnosis lawyer may be able to help you pursue compensation for medical negligence.
Cancer misdiagnoses are among the leading types of diagnostic errors. Primary care providers fail to diagnose cancer in approximately 46 percent of their patients. The most common types of cancer that go undiagnosed are:
Doctors can make a mistake at any point in the examination or treatment process, and when these errors involve cancer, the results can be catastrophic or fatal. Most missed cancer diagnoses are the result of:
Our Litchfield cancer misdiagnosis attorneys have been advocating for our clients’ rights and fighting for fair compensation after medical errors for over 100 combined years. We help clients pursue financial damages after medical errors such as:
Cancer patients often have a small window of opportunity to access treatment before their condition worsens or becomes too advanced for treatment; delays can have fatal consequences.
Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose is a common form of medical malpractice with far-reaching negative impacts. Survival rate, quality of life, pain, and treatment options are all affected when a diagnosis is delayed or missed altogether. Cancer misdiagnoses are among the top three diagnostic errors that, combined, lead to around 75 percent of serious harm to patients.
When cancer is left untreated, many forms will spread to other areas of the body. This is known as metastasis. Almost all types of cancer have the ability to metastasize, which is one of the reasons why early detection and treatment are important. The following cancers metastasize most often:
Surgical procedures, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and other treatments are more effective at lowering the risk of cancer spreading when started early. Doctors who prevent access to needed treatments due to failure to diagnose could be held liable for the subsequent harm patients experience.
Our compassionate lawyers in Litchfield can help evaluate your case and determine whether negligence played a role in a delayed or missed cancer diagnosis. If medical malpractice caused you or a loved one to endure unnecessary suffering, you have the right to pursue justice and compensation.
Contact D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, to discuss your case with a Litchfield cancer misdiagnosis lawyer. We can provide targeted advice about your eligibility to pursue compensation for your doctor’s diagnostic mistake. There is a deadline for taking legal action after a medical malpractice incident, so contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
