Medical Malpractice and Failure to Diagnose Cancer
Whenever a patient undergoes a routine checkup and complains of pain, discomfort, or an abnormal growth, it’s incumbent upon doctors to look into the matter in greater detail. We put trust in doctors to run proper tests and act diligently whenever a patient discusses a health problem. X-rays, biopsies, and other diagnostic tests should be run in order to ensure cancer is diagnosed in its first stages.
When doctors in Oklahoma City, OK fail to diagnose cancer, medical malpractice lawyers at the Tawwater Law Firm can help. Let’s take a moment to consider cancer misdiagnosis cases and what legal options are available.
Cancer Survival Rates
Cancer survival rates examine the likelihood of someone surviving a type of cancer five-years after diagnosis. The best cancer survival rates are for early stages of certain kinds of cancers.
Medical News Today compiled the following list of cancers with the best survival rates:
- Stage 0 Breast Cancer - 99 to 100 percent survival rate
- Stage 1 or 2 Prostate Cancer - 99 percent survival rate
- Testicular Cancer - 99 percent survival rate for localized tumors
- Stage 1 or 2 Thyroid Cancer - 98 to 100 percent survival rate
- Stage 1A or 1B Melanoma - 92 to 97 percent survival rate
Early Diagnosis Means Better Treatment Outcomes
In some analysis from the American Cancer Society, reduced rates of smoking, early diagnosis/detection, and improved treatment options have led to a decrease in the overall cancer death rate in the United States. This is why early detection is always crucial.
The Consequences of Failed or Delayed Diagnosis
When cancer symptoms are present and a doctor fails to diagnose the condition, a patient’s life is put at risk. Life-saving treatment may not be performed in time because of a doctor’s negligence in diagnosis.
Delayed diagnosis of cancer can have similar negative results on wellness. Cancer that progresses to later stages is more difficult to treat. Even if a patient survives their cancer, they would have had much easier treatment experience had their cancer been caught and treated at earlier stages.
Proving That Your Doctor Was Negligent
Proving negligence in a misdiagnosis case can be challenging, which is why working with Oklahoma City medical malpractice attorneys is essential. It must be demonstrated that your doctor failed to recognize telltale signs of cancer in its earliest stages. Furthermore, the symptoms a patient complains of should speak to obvious indications of cancerous growths that other medical professionals would have recognized as a potential danger to wellness.
Damages Sought in Cancer Misdiagnosis Cases
In cancer misdiagnosis cases, both compensatory and punitive damages may be sought.
Compensatory damages will cover the cost of cancer treatment, lost wages while undergoing medical care, lost wages, and other financial and material losses associated with treating cancer. If you lose a loved one to cancer, funerary costs and emotional pain and suffering may be covered by compensatory damages.
Punitive damages are intended to punish negligent medical professionals for their mistakes and errors. These damages are not tied to material losses but are instead determined by the egregiousness of the medical mistake.
Speak with Our Team of Attorneys
For more information about your legal options following major mistakes by doctors and surgeons, we encourage you to contact a skilled medical malpractice attorney. The Tawwater Law Firm can be reached by phone at (405) 673-8021.
