Failure to Diagnose Cancer Attorney Chicago
Thanks to new drugs and treatments, many forms of cancer are curable if diagnosed at an early stage. However, if the cancer is not diagnosed early enough, the prognosis is not as positive.
At the law firm Trapp & Geller in Chicago, Illinois, our lawyers represent people who have suffered harm due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose cancer at an early and treatable stage. We also represent family members of cancer patients who died due to delayed diagnosis of their illness.
Should My Cancer Have Been Diagnosed Earlier?
Just because your cancer was not diagnosed at an early stage does not in itself mean that your doctor was negligent. However, if your doctor had an opportunity to diagnose your cancer and failed to do so, you have a case of malpractice.
The following are examples of possible malpractice:
- Failure of your doctor to diagnose cancer despite observable symptoms
- Failure of your doctor to order appropriate tests to diagnose cancer
- Laboratory errors that resulted in your cancer being missed
Some forms of cancer are so deadly, early diagnosis would not necessarily mean an increase in long-term survivability. However, many forms of cancer such as melanoma (skin cancer), breast cancer, colon cancer, lymphoma and prostate cancer are treatable if discovered early. If your doctor failed to diagnose a treatable form of cancer, and your cancer reached an advanced stage as a result, you may be entitled to compensation.
