Failure to Diagnose Thyroid Cancer Doctor Malpractice Attorney

Doctors are humans who cannot be correct all the time, even when they all the necessary precautions to make a correct diagnosis. That’s why medical malpractice claims are not just about a doctor’s error when they diagnose an illness or make treatment recommendations.  

According to the National Academies of Medicine, diagnostic errors are defined as the failure to (a) establish an accurate and timely explanation of the patient’s health problem(s) or (b) communicate that explanation to the patient.” 

In a study conducted by the organization, negligence that can lead to a late diagnosis of cancer by an oncologist include: 

• Communication issues between doctors, patients, and the patient’s families / caregivers 
• Lack of or inadequate support from the medical facility / other medical staff 
• Not enough or inaccurate feedback about the diagnostic performance 
• A culture or hiding mistakes and not being transparent rather than owning up to mistakes and learning from them. 

Diseases like thyroid cancer must be diagnosed early in order to improve a patient’s chances of survival. Sadly, far too many patients suffer and die needlessly because of medical malpractice by their attending physician. 

Carelessness by doctors can have fatal results for the patient or cause them to have serious health complications that are irreversible. Below are some of the reasons that can lead to a delayed diagnosis of thyroid cancer:

• Misinterpreting X-rays and other diagnostic tests
• Not ordering the appropriate diagnostic tests
• Failing to refer the patient to a specialist (like a surgical oncologist)
• Misplacing paperwork relevant to the patient’s care
• Lack of or poor coordination of medical services between doctors / facilities

Patients in the early stage of cancer often have no symptoms that would alert them to the fact that something is wrong. On top of that, detecting the signs of cancer in a patient can be very difficult, even with MRIs, X-rays, biopsies, mammograms and other diagnostic tests.

Oncologists must always weigh the potential benefits against the risks when they order tests and recommend courses of treatment for their patients. For example, are the risks of radiation therapy worth the side effects, which include hair loss, fever, incontinence, and low blood cell count?

There is no denying that diagnosing cancer is a complex and multi-layered process. But this is a standard of care exists for oncologist and other cancer specialists. If a doctor does not follow accepted standards and the cancer is undiagnosed (or the doctor makes a diagnosis for a different type of cancer), the patient is likely to go without life-saving treatment until it’s too late.

Our team of Los Angeles medical malpractice lawyers can help you with a misdiagnosis claim for any type of cancer, including:

• Throat cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Breast cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Sarcoma
• Skin cancer
• Leukemia
• Lymphoma

A disturbing number of deaths and severe illnesses are due to diagnostic errors by physicians, including cancer specialists. If your health was negatively impacted by cancer that was wrongfully diagnosed or not diagnosed at all, you may have grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Factors that can make you eligible for a doctor negligence compensation claim include:

• Your treating physician provided you with an incorrect diagnosis
• Though you saw your doctor regularly for checkups, the cancer went undetected.
• Your doctor ignored, dismissed, or misinterpreted your symptoms, which should have prompted them to the fact that you may have cancer.
• Your oncologist ordered diagnostic tests, but misinterpreted the findings.
• Because of the failure to diagnose or a late diagnosis, the available treatments had little to no effect.

Your time limit to file a failure to diagnose thyroid cancer lawsuit is anywhere from 1 to 3 years, depending on the circumstances in your case. The majority of claimants must file a lawsuit within 1 year from the date of misdiagnosis or failure to make a diagnosis of cancer. However, it’s in your best interest to check the statute of limitations on a medical malpractice claim and ensure that you are following the correct deadline.

A diagnosis of cancer is devastating for the patient and their loved ones. However, the agony is that much harder to bear when you realize that your cancer is at an advanced stage due to a misdiagnosis by your physician. The legal team of DTLA is ready to hear your story and help you build a solid case for monetary compensation.

Paying out of pocket to hire us is one thing you never have to worry about, since all of our clients are protected by the Zero Fee Guarantee. We promise that the only form of payment owed to us is a percentage of the funds you receive from a settlement or jury verdict. If we fail to secure a favorable resolution to your case, you owe us $0 for the cost legal representation.

We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so contact us anytime to schedule a free consultation.

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