Oregon Delay in Diagnosis of Cancer - Bend/Portland, OR

You do not need a medical degree to know that cancer must be treated early and treated aggressively.  This is why a delay in the diagnosis of cancer could be a fatal error by a healthcare provider.  The longer that the cancer is not diagnosed, the longer that a patient’s cancer has to grow and spread to other parts of the body.  This metastasis throughout the body is what makes cancer a very difficult disease to treat.  If you or a loved one did not receive prompt and aggressive care and treatment, call our Oregon delay in diagnosis of cancer lawyers to learn what your rights are under Oregon law.

Victims of a delay in diagnosis of cancer may be entitled to compensation for their injuries under Oregon law.  This compensation could be for the following:

• Pain and suffering;
• Additional surgeries and unnecessary surgeries;
• Lost wages;
• Lost future earnings;
• Emotional pain and suffering;
• Non-medical expenses, including house modifications or vehicle modifications like a ramp;
• Future medical care and treatment;
• Permanent disability, including from nerve pain;
• Brain injuries;
• Loss of vision, loss of hearing, loss of taste, loss of sensation, or a diminishment of these senses;
• Organ damage;
• Risk of future cancer diagnosis which causes lower survival rate;
• Amputation due to severe neuropathy or limb damage; 
• Wrongful death; and
• Many other damages.

Causes for Delay in Diagnosis of Cancer

Even though cancer is the second-most cause of death in the United States, many hospitals are unprepared or ill-prepared to competently care for cancer patients.  Many staff are not trained well-enough to recognize the symptoms of cancer or to order the correct tests.  While many hospitals and facilities do competency identify and care for cancer patients, some facilities just utterly fail to protect these patients.

One of the largest causes for the delay in diagnosing cancer is a failure to refer a patient.  This generally happens to family care physicians or primary care physicians who misidentify a patient’s symptoms as something else.  Other times these physicians are trying to address a litany of issues with a patient thinking the symptoms are due to something else, rather than just referring a patient to a specialists.  Indeed, many times the symptoms of cancer could be detected with a simple blood test or basic evaluation by a specialist.  The failure to refer a patient to a specialist for evaluation could be Oregon medical malpractice.

There are many other causes for the delay in diagnosis of cancer.  Some of the most common causes include the following:

• Ordering the wrong tests;
• Failing to listen a patient’s complaints;
• Misreading or misinterpreting test results;
• Failing to refer a patient to a specialist;
• Not taking a patient’s concerns seriously;
• Misdiagnosing the patient with something else;
• Waiting too long to determine whether symptoms change;
• Identifying a condition that is causing a patient problems, but failing to investigate further to discover it is only one issue along with cancer;
• Mixing patients up;
• Setting up appointments or follow-up appointments too late;
• Failing to thoroughly review symptoms and the file;
• Lack of training, experience, or skill; and
• Many other causes.

Most Common Cancers that are Delayed in Diagnosis

There is a seemingly endless number of cancers, and any type could be misdiagnosed.  But there are certain types of cancers that are usually delayed in diagnosis.  This is usually because the symptoms relate to other possible causes.  While this could cause confusion for a healthcare provider, the standard of care is to ensure the patient’s health is protected and questionable symptoms need to be fully evaluated.  Thus, there is no excuse for the delay in diagnosis of any cancer.

Some of the most commonly delayed in diagnosis cancers include the following:

• Head cancer (brain cancers, which symptoms of headaches could be various conditions including innocuous conditions);
• Stomach cancer, throat cancer, and esophageal cancer (symptoms typically mirror other GI issues);
• Rectal cancer, colon cancer, and colorectal cancers (symptoms usually mirror other GI issues and could include other common ailments like hemorrhoids, dietary reactions, or even due to extreme fitness regiments);
• Skin cancer (commonly misdiagnosed as non-malignant cancers or physician applies a “wait and see” notion on the skin condition);
• Lung cancers in non-smokers (some still believe that there are no ways for lung cancer to develop in a non-smoker, but that is completely false); and
• Many other types of cancer. 

Bend/Portland, Oregon Delay in Diagnosis Cancer Lawyers

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.  

We handle cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, and Hillsboro.  

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.  

Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.