At The Haymond Law Firm, we've experienced firsthand the devastating effects of breast cancer. That's why we support both breast cancer research and the women and families who have suffered from breast cancer. In 2006, The American Cancer Society listed breast cancer as the most common type of cancer among women in the US and the leading cause of death for women ages 40 to 55. Treatment, however, can be very effective when the disease is diagnosed at an early stage.
According to Susan G. Komen For The Cure, the five-year survival rate in cases when breast cancer was diagnosed before spreading to the body is 98%. In fact, there are over two million breast cancer survivors living in the United States alone.
Please remember, the basis for a medical malpractice claim is that a doctor or other health care provider failed to follow customary medical procedures and as a result of this failure you have suffered a serious injury. In this type of case, if a doctor fails to diagnose breast cancer in a timely fashion it often results in severe and debilitating injuries. More often than not, a doctor's failure to diagnose breast cancer leads to irreparable and permanent harm.
In the event you believe you have a lump in your breast or something abnormal or out of the ordinary, we urge you to seek immediate medical attention regardless of your age. We have had cases involving young women who have had early symptoms of breast cancer that could have and should have been detected by a simple mammogram. We advise you to urge your treating physician to take a safe and conservative approach and order a mammogram to determine a proper and complete diagnosis.
At The Haymond Law Firm, we are strong advocates of preventive medicine. The Haymond Law Firm recognizes the importance of early detection. If you experience any of the following signs of breast cancer, see a medical professional immediately.
Common signs of breast cancer:
lumps in breast tissue
thickening of breast tissue
swelling of breast
dimpling of breast
skin irritation / scaly skin in breast area
nipple pain or tenderness (that does not go away)
sunken nipple
fluid or discharge from either nipple
For more information about breast cancer prevention and treatment, please visit the American Cancer Society website at http://www.cancer.org or Susan G. Komen For The Cure at http://www.komen.org.
Although treatment of early stage breast cancer can be very effective, diagnosis delays can result in the cancer becoming worse than it should have become. If you feel that your health care provider delayed a breast cancer diagnosis in any way, contact the Haymond Law Firm and speak to an attorney with experience protecting the legal rights of breast cancer patients and their families.
Common delays in breast cancer diagnosis / treatment:
ignoring signs of breast cancer
failure to perform a breast exam
failure to identify a palpable lump during a breast exam
failure to order a mammogram
reliance solely on a mammogram without a physical breast exam
careless reading of mammograms
failure to proceed with tests or treatment called for by mammogram results
Delays could result in a decreased chance of survival or even death. When you're dealing with breast cancer, these types of delays could be the difference between survival and tragedy. At The Haymond Law Firm, we believe doctors should be held accountable for their actions. Although lawsuits will never bring back a lost loved one or restore health, we feel that it is our duty to protect future breast cancer victims and improve the quality of medical care by pursuing cases against medical professionals responsible for delayed diagnoses.
If you suspect that either you or a loved one is the victim of such a delay or a failure to diagnose breast cancer, contact The Haymond Law Firm to learn more about how to protect yourself and exercise your legal rights. We believe it is our duty to level the playing field against doctors and their insurance companies and we accept the challenge.
Remember, each state has a specific amount of time when you can make your claim and a delay could prevent you from doing so. For a free consultation, call The Haymond Law Firm at 1-800-HAYMOND (1-800-429-6663).