Philadelphia Lung Cancer Attorneys

Medical misdiagnosis in cancer cases is more common than you may think, and the consequences of these errors can be deadly. When lung cancer goes untreated, a patient may be forced to undergo more severe treatment compared to an early detection. Chemotherapy and radiation may be necessary due to a physician’s misdiagnosis of lung cancer, very painful procedures that come at extremely high costs.

Fortunately, a victim may be able to recover financial compensation when a doctor’s mistake results in a misdiagnosis or delayed detection of lung cancer. The lung cancer lawyers at Cohen, Placitella, & Roth, P.C. in Philadelphia have experience in identifying the reasons behind the errors, and have access to the resources necessary to help you recover for your injuries.

Reasons for Misdiagnosis of Lung Cancer

A number of different factors may lead to a mistake in failing to properly diagnose lung cancer, including:

• Improper Screening: Tests and screening measures are necessary to identify the signs of cancer. Failure to order proper tests may lead to the cancer spreading.
• Sample Mix Ups: Biopsies and other tissues must be reviewed to determine the existence of lung cancer, but errors may result in mixing up your sample with that of another patient.
• A variety of other medical mistakes may also lead to a misdiagnosis of lung cancer, such as:
  • Unneeded surgery;
  • Failure to follow up with a patient;
  • Dismissing the possibility that cancer is present; and,
  • Many others.

Medical Malpractice Claims for Misdiagnosis

There are four elements that a victim of lung cancer misdiagnosis must prove to obtain compensation for his or her injuries:

1. A medical professional owed the duty to provide a standard of care to the patient;
2. The healthcare provider breached the duty of care;
3. An injury to the patient resulted from the breach; and,
4. The patient suffered damages as a result of the breach of duty.

Resources Needed to Support a Claim

The standard of care element is one of the most difficult elements to prove in a lung cancer misdiagnosis case because it requires a determination of where the mistake was made. Often, it’s necessary to bring in medical experts to identify the stage where the misdiagnosis occurred, so a victim can prove that the standard of care was not met. Having access to these types of resources is critical, and can make or break a case for misdiagnosis of lung cancer.

Discuss Your Matter with a Philadelphia Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyer

We trust medical professionals to adhere to a standard of care when providing treatment and making diagnoses. When a doctor makes a lung cancer misdiagnosis, the consequences are life-changing for the patient. It may be possible to recover compensation for the physical and financial impact under Pennsylvania law, but these types of cases are extremely complicated and require access to quality resources. If you’ve suffered injuries due to an error in lung cancer diagnosis, please contact the Philadelphia offices of Cohen, Placitella, & Roth, P.C. We’re happy to answer your questions and can schedule a free consultation to discuss the details of your case.