A timely cancer diagnosis can mean the difference between a treatable condition and a life-threatening illness. Unfortunately, when medical professionals fail to recognize or properly diagnose cancer, the results can be devastating. These delays often amount to medical malpractice, and patients have the right to hold negligent providers accountable.
How Diagnostic Delays Happen
A delayed cancer diagnosis can result from:
- Misreading imaging scans or pathology reports
- Failing to order appropriate diagnostic tests
- Dismissing early warning signs or patient complaints
- Communication errors among medical staff
These oversights can allow cancer to progress unchecked, limiting treatment options and worsening outcomes.
When a Delay Becomes Malpractice
Not every delayed diagnosis is malpractice, but when a physician’s failure to act falls below the accepted standard of care, and that failure leads to harm, patients may have a legal claim. To prove malpractice, your attorney must demonstrate:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed.
- The provider acted negligently.
- The negligence caused harm or worsened the prognosis.
Pursuing Justice for Victims of Negligence
Patients who have suffered due to a delayed cancer diagnosis may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life.
At Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo P.C., we have successfully represented numerous clients in medical malpractice cases involving delayed diagnoses, radiology errors, and failure to treat. Our team works with trusted medical experts to uncover the truth and pursue justice on your behalf.