When a person is sick, a doctor is supposed to help. A doctor is supposed to look at all a person’s symptoms and make a diagnosis. With the diagnosis, the doctor should begin a treatment plan to treat the injury or illness and get people back in their path to health.
Doctors, however, are not perfect. They make mistakes that can have deadly consequences for Pennsylvania residents.
The misdiagnosis of cancer is one of the worst mistakes that can be made. When cancer is missed, instead of getting treatment a person loses valuable time as the cancer grows and spreads.
Sadly, one Pennsylvania resident has experienced this. She and her husband have now brought a medical malpractice suit. In this case, the woman saw a gynecologist in another state for a possible infection. During her initial visit — in November 2008 — lab tests were abnormal but inconclusive. The woman continued to experience issues and returned to this doctor again in December 2008 and September 2009. At both appointments, the doctor failed to notice any major medical issues despite abnormal lab results.
The 30-year-old woman then moved to Pennsylvania and saw a new doctor in December 2013. This doctor diagnosed the woman with cervical cancer — specifically with endometrial carcinoma. As a result of this diagnosis, the woman had to have a complete hysterectomy, radiation and chemotherapy. This treatment left the woman unable to have any children.
In her suit, the woman claims that the first doctor did not use due care in her treatment. The woman claims that proper medical examinations were not done which led to the worsening cancer. In the suit, the woman is asking for several damages including loss of enjoyment in life, pain and suffering, medical expenses and more.
A medical malpractice suit — like the one in this case — can help those who have suffered from a doctor’s failure to diagnose. People in this situation should make sure to understand all their legal rights.
Source: The Louisiana Record, “Medical practice, laboratory sued for allegedly failing to recognize patient’s cervical cancer,” Andrey Burin, Feb. 18, 2015