Cancer is not typically on your mind when you talk to your doctor, but it should be near the top of your doctor’s mind. The American Cancer Society released statistics that nearly half of all men in this country and one-third of women will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. If you are one of those men or women, a cancer diagnosis can feel like an enormous burden.
At The Haymond Law Firm we recognize, however, that an early diagnosis of cancer greatly improves a patient’s chances of survival. Delayed diagnoses often prevent treatment from beginning before the cancer reaches an untreatable stage. If you experience any of the following symptoms, we advise you to urge your treating physician to take a safe and conservative approach and order tests to determine a proper and complete diagnosis.
Common symptoms which may be signs of cancer:
- sore that does not heal over a long period of time
- palpable lump
- difficult swallowing
- indigestion that occurs on a regular and chronic basis
- bleeding or other body fluid / discharge coming from an unusual place
- changes to a mole or a wart
- coughing and / or a hoarse voice that will not go away
At The Haymond Law Firm, we are strong advocates of preventive medicine. If you have any of these symptoms, contact a doctor immediately. These symptoms, however, do not always indicate cancer and there are many cancer symptoms not included on the list. For more information about cancer prevention and treatment, please visit the American Cancer Society website at http://www.cancer.org.
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 cancer in a timely fashion it often results in severe and debilitating injuries. More often than not, a doctor’s failure to diagnose cancer leads to irreparable and permanent harm.
Although not all delayed diagnoses of cancer are grounds for legal action, nearly all delays reduce patient success rates. The following are some common reasons for delayed cancer diagnoses.
Delays in cancer diagnosis:
- failure to recognize the signs and symptoms of cancer
- improperly testing blood or body tissues
- failure to order the correct tests that confirm or deny cancer
- mistake or error in reading tests
- failure to refer the patient to a specialist in a timely fashion for appropriate testing
- failure to begin appropriate treatment or prescribe appropriate medication before cancer reached an untreatable stage
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 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 a delayed diagnosis of cancer and a serious injury resulted, 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).