The importance of an accurate and timely cancer diagnosis can be the difference between life and death, between healing and life-long harm.

Although a cancer diagnosis can be shocking and overwhelming, it is vital that your healthcare providers communicate with you and provide you the information you need to make the best decisions possible.

The National Cancer Institute recommends that upon being diagnosed with cancer, you ask your doctor the following questions:

• What type of cancer do I have?
• What is the stage of my cancer?
• Has it spread to other areas of my body?
• Will I need more tests before treatment begins? Which ones?
• What kind of treatment plan do you recommend?
• Will I need a specialist(s) for my cancer treatment?
• Will you help me find a doctor to give me another opinion on the best treatment plan for me?
• How serious is my cancer?
• What are my chances of survival?

Failure to Diagnose Cancer due to Malpractice

Whether it is failing to properly read a radiology film, not reporting test results, or ignoring your complaints or symptoms, a doctor or medical provider may be responsible for the harm caused by their delay. If you suspect a misdiagnosis has been made, getting a second medical opinion is crucial in taking care of your health and getting the care you need.

Each year, the failure of doctors and other medical professionals to diagnose cancer causes delay in diagnosis and life-saving treatment, and untold misery for these patients.

Who is responsible?

Cases involving a doctor or health care provider’s failure to diagnose cancer can be complex. Issues include whether the doctor or health care provider was negligent or “deviated from the standard of care,” whether this caused delay in the diagnosis of cancer, and whether the outcome would have been different if the delay had not occurred. Additionally, many different parties may be responsible, including:

• Primary care physician
• Urgent Care Center
• Radiologist
• Gynecologist
• Hospital
• Nurse practitioner or Physician’s assistant
• Physician’s practice group

We will investigate all responsible parties and vigorously pursue a claim on the victim’s behalf. We may bring in experts in related fields of medicine, as well as experts to address life care needs, vocational and economic losses.

We fight hard to prove the liability of the defendants, using all our resources to prove their liability and the extent of the harm they caused.

Although many of our malpractice recoveries are subject to confidentiality agreements and therefore cannot be disclosed, we have recovered thousands of awards and settlements for our malpractice clients. In the past five years alone, we have recovered more than $120 million for our clients.

Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo protects patients

If a patient’s injury was caused by a health professional’s negligence, including failure to diagnose their cancer, the patient should be compensated.

Victims injured by a misdiagnosis may be entitled to compensation for:

• Physical pain
• Past and future medical bills
• Physical disfigurement
• Mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Lost past earnings
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Future medical and life care expenses
• Spousal losses from the patient’s injuries
• Familial losses resulting from the patient’s death

We fight for a maximum recovery

Over our more than 50 years of combined experience, we have recovered many thousands of awards and settlements for our medical malpractice clients.

Our firm is experienced in handling these cases from the very beginning all the way through jury trial where we are prepared to present and win your case with medical, nursing, vocational, life care, and economic experts.

Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo offers free consultations to people injured by a failure to diagnose cancer. We pride ourselves on fighting for each client’s rights, handling each case with dedication and care.