Delayed diagnosis of cancer is a form of medical malpractice that can have dire implications. Many whose cancer is not diagnosed in time are given grim prognoses. In some cases, patients may only have months to live. And had the cancer been caught in time, those patients could very well have fought it.
A Brookhaven woman was recently diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. It was metastasized to her liver, spleen and several places in her bones. Now, her attorney argues, doctors who failed to catch her cancer should be held accountable.
In December 2016, the woman, Cynthia Ziegler, had a surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm. In preparation for the operation, she received a series of chest X-rays. The radiologist performing the X-rays noticed a nodule on her lung that he found concerning. So, he recommended a CT scan for further clarification. Two days later, another doctor noticed the nodule. But after neither X-ray was Ziegler informed of the nodule, nor were CT scans ordered. A nurse even called one of the doctors to express the serious need for a CT scan. Her call was ignored.
There was every opportunity to detect her cancer with enough time to effectively treat the disease. The failure to diagnose cancer led to her unfortunate prognosis later on. This is a textbook example of medical negligence and ripe for a failure to diagnose cancer lawsuit.
Now, Ziegler lives with stage IV cancer and her prospects for recovery are low. She has been offered palliative care as she fights this disease which should have been caught much earlier.
If you are enduring late-stage cancer and you believe it should have been caught earlier, you may have a case for medical negligence. Speak to a qualified medical malpractice attorney to discuss your options.
