Thanks to decades of research and advances in technology, we have more options for effectively identifying and treating various forms of cancer than we’ve had at any point in the past. However, all the high-tech machines and cutting-edge treatments are only as effective as the doctors using and providing them. Unfortunately, not every medical professional is as diligent as they should be.
Delaying cancer treatment for any reason can have life-altering effects. If you didn’t get the treatment you needed because your doctor didn’t realize what you were dealing with, you may have grounds to file suit with a skilled malpractice attorney’s help. Working closely with a Norristown cancer misdiagnosis lawyer who’s handled similar claims successfully before can be key to getting a good case outcome and getting paid fairly for all compensable damages.
How Negligence Can Lead to Doctors Missing Cancer
All medical professionals are expected to meet a specific standard of care with all patients. They’re expected to act the same way any other equally qualified doctor would act while working under the same conditions. Holding a doctor civilly liable for a cancer misdiagnosis requires proving another doctor presented with the same information under the same circumstances would’ve correctly diagnosed the cancer and recommended the right treatment.
Various types of reckless and careless actions can lead to a doctor failing to properly diagnose this type of condition, ranging from individual errors like failing to recommend the right test to diagnostic mistakes such as misreading test results, as well as widespread breakdowns in communication between different staff members within a medical organization. Among other things, a seasoned Norristown cancer misdiagnosis attorney can figure out who’s to blame for a particular misdiagnosis and make sure they’re held accountable for the consequences of their actions.
Accounting for Past and Future Losses
No amount of money can completely make up for the immense harm that an unnecessary delay in cancer treatment can cause. What civil restitution can do is minimize the degree to which specific financial, physical, and mental losses negatively impact your life moving forward, including but not limited to things like:
- Physical pain and suffering
- All medical bills for future cancer treatment
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Lost work income and working ability
- Loss of life’s pleasures
In cases involving extreme negligence or intentional misconduct by a healthcare provider, a court can also make that provider pay punitive damages specifically as a way of punishing them for their actions and then award that money to the person or people harmed by that misconduct. There are strict rules for when these damages can be awarded and what financial value they can have, as a cancer misdiagnosis lawyer in Norristown can explain during a private consultation.
Talk to a Norristown Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorney Today
Learning that you have cancer is always a devastating experience to go through. Learning that you’ve had cancer for a while but weren’t diagnosed and treated for it by your doctors is infuriating, especially if you could’ve avoided serious physical harm by catching and addressing your disease early.
In a situation like this, guidance from a respected Norristown cancer misdiagnosis lawyer can be crucial to ensuring you get paid fairly for the harm you’ve already suffered and that you get all the care you need to protect your future. Call today to discuss your options.
