Medical Malpractice From Delayed Cancer Diagnosis
Physicians generally rely in part on a blood test, referred to as the PSA test, to screen asymptomatic male patients for prostate cancer. Most doctors agree that abnormal PSA levels require a need to inform the patient he may have cancer and to either refer the patient to a specialist or follow up with diagnostic testing to rule out prostate cancer. Yet, delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer cases are all too common.
Consider the following reported cases. In the first reported case, a physician help off for two years after consecutive abnormal PSA test results prior to telling the male patient that the patient may have cancer. When the patient was finally diagnosed the result was that he had advanced prostate cancer. The law firm that represented this man reported they were able to settle the lawsuit for $600,000 on behalf of the patient. In the second reported case, a physician took sixteen months, with three consecutive high PSA test results, before informing his patient, a sixty-four year old man. Prior to that the physician had actually told the patient that the results were normal for a patient his age. The result: the cancer had already spread to the man’s seminal vesicles. The law firm that handled this matter was able to report a settlement of $1,500,000 on the patient’s behalf.
As these two lawsuits illustrate, if a doctor fails to follow up on an abnormal cancer screening test result and the patient’s cancer progresses to an advanced stage during the delay caused by the physician, a cancer lawyer can help you determine if that physician is liable for malpractice. In the worst case situation, a wrongful death attorney can assist the patient’s family determine whether they may have a wrongful death claim. The above should not be considered medical or legal advice. You should always consult with a doctor before taking medical advice or making a medical decision. And always consult with an attorney concerning any potential legal matter.
