Lung cancer is among the deadliest form of cancer in the United States today, causing 150,000 deaths in 2012 alone. CNN has released a simple guide entitled Lung Cancer by the Numbers to help people understand the types of lung cancer, the symptoms and the potential treatment options.
Due to the high fatality rate associated with lung cancer, successful treatment relies on the cancer being identified in its earliest stages. Early and accurate diagnoses often make the difference between life and death. As a result, it is important that patients don’t hesitate to visit a doctor when they experience any lung cancer-related symptoms. Unfortunately, seeing a doctor doesn’t necessarily ensure that a patient will have their cancer properly identified. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for doctors to misdiagnose their patient’s cancer symptoms. In many cases, a doctor’s misdiagnosis of a patient’s lung cancer may be the result of negligence. If negligence was the cause of the lung cancer misdiagnosis, the sick patient may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
When a doctor is diagnosing a patient, they are legally obligated to use the same degree of care as another physician in the same field. When a doctor fails to uphold the medical community’s accepted standard of care, they have acted negligently. The failure to diagnose or misdiagnosis of lung cancer, however, is not necessarily the result of negligence. For instance, when a doctor misreads test results, they have not been negligent if another competent physician in the same field would not have been able to make a conclusive diagnosis either.
Are you or someone you love suffering from lung cancer? Did the doctor initially misdiagnose the cancer? If so, you may be able to recoup compensation for your hardships. For a free review of your legal options, call 212-406-1700 or contact us online.
