Do I Have a Right to Compensation After a Cancer Misdiagnosis in Oregon?
Most people know that cancer is a very serious type of disease. Some types of cancer are more deadly than others. According to the Journal of Clinical Oncology, cancer misdiagnosis occurs in 28-44% of cancer diagnosis cases. Cancer misdiagnosis can happen in Oregon too. How quickly a person is diagnosed can play a large part in survival and prognosis. If a patient is diagnosed with another type of cancer, the wrong subtype of cancer or a benign condition originally when they do in fact have cancer, this may cause the patient to undergo unnecessary treatment that may harm them or they may undergo no treatment at all which can be detrimental to their prognosis. Additionally, the treatment likely will not work effectively which then allows the cancer to grow.
Our Oregon cancer misdiagnosis lawyers understand just how serious a cancer misdiagnosis can be, and are prepared to review your case for FREE today to determine if medical malpractice played a part in your cancer misdiagnosis. These can be very difficult cases to prove which can cost significant money for a victim or a family in Oregon. Unfortunately, many families who have a loved one diagnosed with cancer will go through significant financial hard times. This includes the fact that a loved one is no longer able to work due to cancer, that a family must take time off or work to care for a loved one, and that the victim and family will have to pay for medical care and treatment. These costs are all magnified when a cancer misdiagnosis causes the injuries.
How is Cancer Misdiagnosis in Oregon Caused by Medical Malpractice?
While a cancer misdiagnosis should never happen, these are the most common reasons for a cancer misdiagnosis:
- Interpreting biopsy results incorrectly
- Interpreting imaging (CT, MRI, X-ray, PET, bone scan, mammograms) incorrectly
- Inexperienced physicians, radiologists and pathologists
- Failure to obtain complete medical history
- Failure to fully assess the patient
- Incomplete workup of patient
- Failing to refer for consultation to a specialist
- Failing to evaluate patient’s symptoms
- Insufficient biopsy sample obtained
Most Commonly Misdiagnosed Cancers:
- Lung cancer – According to Moffitt Cancer Center, Lung cancer may be originally diagnosed as a benign condition (i.e. respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lymphoma, pulmonary embolism, lung abscesses, encysted lung effusion, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), asthma, tuberculosis, thoracic Hodgkin’s disease, lymphoma
- Breast cancer – Breast cancer can be misdiagnosed as a benign lump without further testing. Additionally, a biopsy can be misinterpreted which may lead the patient to receiving no treatment if the physician feels the mass is benign, or the patient may receive the wrong treatment if the pathology is misinterpreted
- Sarcomas – Sarcomas may be misdiagnosed as a fatty tumor, muscle strain or other benign conditions. Additionally, characteristics of some types of sarcoma can create a benign appearance when they are in fact malignant.
- Lymphomas – Lymphomas are often misdiagnosed as a benign condition because this type of cancer often mimics many benign conditions.
- Colorectal cancer – Patients with colorectal cancer may be initially misdiagnosed as having irritable bowel syndrome, colitis or diverticulitis. Additionally, younger people are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage disease as medical practitioners often do not have colorectal cancer as a part of their differential diagnosis.
Consequences of Cancer Misdiagnosis
There are many devastating consequences of a cancer misdiagnosis in Oregon. A few of the many consequences include the following:
- Advanced cancer diagnosis
- Unnecessary treatment administered
- Death
- Adverse effects due to the wrong treatment being administered
- Emotional distress
- Long term side effects of treatment
- Permanent disability
Damages from a Cancer Misdiagnosis in Oregon
Victims who suffer from a cancer misdiagnosis in Oregon are likely to suffer greatly. You do not need to be a medical professional to know that a cancer misdiagnosis can result in irreversible harm. The longer that cancer is not treated, the longer that it is likely to root deeper and in more places through the body. This can result in a much more deadly and debilitating type of cancer that is a lot harder to treat and send into remission.
As a result, a cancer misdiagnosis often causes more extensive damage to a victim and causes a higher likelihood for wrongful death. Even if a victim survives the cancer misdiagnosis in Oregon, that victim is likely to have an increased chance of the cancer coming back and being fatal. As a result, the initial cancer misdiagnosis could be more likely to cause future pain and suffering or wrongful death. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer is needed to handle this type of claim to ensure that the victim recovers the compensation that he or she deserves under the law.
How Our Oregon Cancer Misdiagnosis Medical Malpractice Lawyers Can Help You
As you can see, a cancer misdiagnosis can be devastating and detrimental to a person’s health. It literally can be the difference of life and death. Patients who present with illness should be taken seriously and all proper tests should be performed. Failure to perform tests can be a matter of life or death. Additionally, with cancer time is of the essence. Every moment a patient is being treated for the wrong condition, the cancer is given a chance to spread further. This is why if you or your loved one experienced a cancer misdiagnosis, you should contact our experienced Oregon cancer misdiagnosis lawyers who can review your case to ensure your rights are being protected. Patients and their loved ones who experienced a cancer misdiagnosis may be eligible for compensation if the misdiagnosis was found to be due to medical malpractice. Compensation for this type of medical malpractice claim may include:
- Physical pain and suffering, including past and future
- Emotional pain and suffering, including past and future
- Past, present and future medical bills
- Lost wages from the misdiagnosis, having to do to appointments, or being disabled by the injury
- Lost future wages if unable to work in the same line of work
- Value of increased risk of cancer reoccurrence
- Loss of consortium of affection from a spouse
- Loss of guidance, society, and support of other family member including children, parents, or siblings
- Punitive damages in very rare but horrible cases of gross negligence by a healthcare provider
- Wrongful death expenses including funeral costs and burial expenses, and
- Many other types of serious personal injuries due to a cancer misdiagnosis in Oregon as a result of the negligence of a healthcare provider.
These are just a few of the many indications for damages that a victim and his or her family may be entitled to as a result of the negligence of a healthcare provider, hospital, practice group, lab, radiologists, or any other healthcare professional that may have evaluated and treated the plaintiff. The amount of potential defendants can by huge, and victims and their families may not even realize who may be liable for the cancer misdiagnosis case.
The truth is, other plaintiff’s lawyers may not be able to realize it either. This is why it is imperative to hire an experienced medical malpractice lawyer who can handle a cancer misdiagnosis case to ensure that victims and their families recover the compensation that they deserve.
Learn How We Can Help Handle Your Cancer Misdiagnosis Case
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
