If a doctor misdiagnosed your bone cancer, it could be medical malpractice.
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If you were experiencing common signs of bone cancer, but your doctor misdiagnosed you with another medical condition, it could be considered medical malpractice. If your physician was negligent in misdiagnosing your bone cancer for an unreasonable time and you suffered harm as a result, a bone cancer misdiagnosis lawyer can help you hold the doctor responsible for your damages.
At Medical Malpractice Help, our attorneys can examine the details of your case to determine if you were the victim of medical negligence. If so, we will help you pursue compensation from the doctor that misdiagnosed your bone cancer. Call us at 888-261-5614 for a free case evaluation.
Symptoms of Bone Cancer
The signs of bone cancer can vary from one person to another, and some people experience few symptoms. Some signs of bone cancer are:
- Pain, which is first intermittent but becomes constant as the disease progresses;
- Swelling or a lump that develops after the pain started;
- Broken bones;
- Weight loss;
If you told your doctor about some of these symptoms and they did not run any tests or send you to a specialist, they might have committed medical negligence.
Consequences of a Bone Cancer Misdiagnosis
If a doctor discovers your bone cancer before it has spread to other areas of your body and you start treatment right away, you might not suffer any significant adverse impacts of the late diagnosis. Some cancers are more aggressive than others, however, and even a matter of weeks can make a difference in your prognosis. Also, some forms of bone cancer have a better prognosis than others.
The five-year survival rate for all forms of bone cancer is around 70 percent, but the stage and type of cancer make a difference in the odds. Generally, your chances of survival drop significantly if your bone cancer progresses to a later stage.
How Misdiagnosis Impacts Treatments
Your cancer treatment team will create a treatment plan for your unique circumstances, including the stage and form of bone cancer you have, your age and general health, and many other factors. Healthcare providers usually combine more than one type of treatment to maximize the odds of eliminating your bone cancer. The four main treatments are:
- Surgery;
- Radiation therapy;
- Chemotherapy;
- Targeted therapy.
A late diagnosis can impact your treatment in two ways:
- Your doctor can only perform some procedures at certain stages of the disease, so if your cancer is at a later stage, you will not have the same treatment options that you could have had earlier; or
- You might have to undergo treatments that are more invasive and painful, and with more side effects for late-stage cancer than if they had caught and treated your cancer earlier.
If we can prove that your misdiagnosis constitutes malpractice, we can go after the responsible party for your damages. How much you can be compensated for a cancer misdiagnosis depends on the details of your case.
When Misdiagnosis of Bone Cancer Is Medical Malpractice
If you reported symptoms to your doctor that should have raised a concern about bone cancer and they did not run diagnostic tests or send you to a specialist for a consultation, they might have committed malpractice.
There are four key points we must prove to build a successful claim on your behalf.
Your Doctor Had a Duty of Care to You.
All doctors have a duty of care to their patients. If we can prove that a doctor-patient relationship existed between you and your healthcare provider, we can prove that they had a duty of care to provide you with a high standard of medical care.
They Breached Their Duty.
Our next step is proving that your doctor failed to take the actions a typical medical professional with the same level of training and education would have taken under similar circumstances. If your doctor violated the standard of care when they misdiagnosed your bone cancer, you might have a valid malpractice claim.
That Breach Caused You to Suffer Additional Harm.
We must also show that your doctor’s negligence caused your harm. If the misdiagnosis caused you to suffer a less-favorable prognosis, we can prove that your doctor’s negligence caused harm.
You Experienced Damages Because of the Bone Cancer Misdiagnosis.
Our last step is to prove the amount of damages you suffered as a result of the bone cancer misdiagnosis.
In a medical malpractice case, you can recover damages for any of your related costs and losses. Your compensation could include money for:
- Additional bone cancer treatments;
- Lost wages from the time you had to miss work;
- A reduced earning capacity, if your misdiagnosis permanently changed your ability to earn an income;
- Your pain and suffering;
- Wrongful death, if your family member died because of the malpractice;
- Any other related expenses.
Our attorneys will calculate a fair value for your damages before we file your malpractice claim. We will fight for adequate compensation from the at-fault doctor’s insurer. If the insurance company refuses to settle, we will represent you as your case goes to trial.
How You Can Get Help From a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
The medical malpractice lawyers at Medical Malpractice Help want to help you fight for the damages you deserve after a bone cancer misdiagnosis. If you suspect that your doctor failed to diagnose your bone cancer within a reasonable time after you reported your symptoms, you might be eligible for compensation.