While a cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event, it’s not a death sentence. Because of advances in medical treatment, people are more likely to be cured if they are diagnosed early. However, when that diagnosis is delayed, their chances of responding to treatment, enjoying a greater quality of life and surviving will diminish. Delayed diagnosis may occur due to an oncologist’s, physician’s, or pathologist’s negligence, and a delayed cancer diagnosis lawyer in Washington, PA may be able to help.
A Misdiagnosis Is a Common Event
Almost 1.5 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year, but not all diagnoses are correct. Approximately one in 71 cases are misdiagnosed, and 20% of cancers are inaccurately classified. Doctors are aware of these high rates, but they don’t always take the necessary steps to prevent misdiagnosis.
How It Happens
A cancer misdiagnosis may occur for several reasons, one of which is a lack of specialization and personalization. Many diagnoses are made after a pathologist evaluates tissue samples; in many cases, the pathologist never meets the patient, and they’re not an expert in the sort of cancer they’re diagnosing. Misdiagnoses are often attributed to:
- Missing patient information
- Inadequate diagnostic equipment
- Poor genetic data
- Failure to test on time
- Misinterpretation of results
Breast cancer, lymphoma, melanoma, and prostate cancers are some of the most frequently misdiagnosed. If this occurs, a delayed cancer diagnosis lawyer in Washington, PA may be able to provide help, advice, and a greater chance of economic recovery.
When a Doctor Acts Negligently
When a person is sick, they seek treatment at a hospital. They agree to pay for medical testing and doctor’s appointments because they expect the physician to use a care standard to identify and treat the condition. If a practitioner doesn’t act within a reasonable standard and misdiagnoses the patient, that costs the patient their options and treatment time, and they are also injured. If the injury could have been prevented had the practitioner acted with reasonable care, the patient may have actionable cause. Contact us online or by phone to request a no-obligation consultation with a cancer misdiagnosis attorney in the area.
