Firm News

Med Malpractice: Failure to Treat or Diagnose Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, there will be over 1.7 million new cancer cases diagnosed this year in the United States alone—and over 600,000 cancer deaths across the country. By detecting cancer early, clinicians stand a much better chance of treating it successfully. However, the initial warning signs of cancer are often overlooked or misattributed by medical staff, resulting in increased risk of harm. 

“Unfortunately, medical mistakes are fairly common across the United States,” says Gary Alan Friedman, a leading attorney at Friedman & Friedman. “Many of these preventable errors can cause permanent damage to patients—or make it significantly harder to treat their condition successfully.” Recent research from The BMJ supports this assertion, revealing that “more than 1 in 10 patients are harmed in the course of their medical care, and half of those injuries are preventable.”

How Does a Failure to Diagnose Happen?

There are many different forms of cancer, and each displays unique symptoms. Common signs of cancer include persistent coughing, blood-tinged saliva, irregular bowel habits and lumps in the testicles or breasts. Regrettably, many of these symptoms are commonly overlooked or associated with other (and often less severe) diseases and conditions. That’s one of the many reasons why failure to diagnose and treat cancer is so common in the United States. 

It’s important to note that even the best clinicians can make diagnostic errors. In order to sue a doctor for cancer misdiagnosis, victims must prove that they failed to provide a sufficient level of care—and that this negligence actually caused meaningful damage to their health. If your cancer was misdiagnosed by a clinician due to improper care, delayed treatment or no treatment at all, you may have an actionable case for medical malpractice. 

What to Do If You Suspect Medical Malpractice

In Florida law, the standard of care is defined as the level of care, skill, and treatment which, given all the facts of the patient and his or her condition, is recognized as acceptable and appropriate by similar healthcare providers. If you suspect that your doctor fell below this standard of care when diagnosing your cancer, then it’s important to seek legal aid—quickly and decisively. 

Every state has a unique time limit (or statute of limitations) for medical malpractice cases. In Florida, you have two years to file a lawsuit, with certain exceptions. If you’re not sure how much time you have left to initiate for your medical malpractice case, then be sure to connect with an experienced Florida attorney as soon as possible. This legal expert can help you understand whether your case is valid—and walk you through the next steps in your pursuit of justice. 

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Who Will Fight for You

It’s urgent that you get in touch with the attorneys at Friedman & Friedman if you believe you or a loved one suffered due to medical malpractice. Our seasoned team has a winning track record in Florida medical malpractice cases involving cancer, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients. 

As your legal representative, Friedman & Friedman will be unrelenting in the pursuit of your goals and the compensation your family deserves. For more information on our team and how we can help with your case, be sure to contact us today. You can also reach out to us for more insight into how medical malpractice law works in Florida—and the steps you can take to seek justice for your case. 

-Marvin

Wed Jul 31, 9:00am