Terre Haute Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyer

If you or a loved one developed cancer but were misdiagnosed, worsening the condition, we understand the repercussions. Undetected and untreated cancer is likely to progress, leaving patients vulnerable to it spreading elsewhere and more likely to require invasive treatment, putting lives at even more risk.

Our compassionate medical malpractice attorneys could work diligently to hold your medical team accountable for this grave error. Physicians are supposed to provide competent care with modern tests and treatments in battling cancer. When they fail to help you because they were negligent, a Terre Haute cancer misdiagnosis lawyer could fight to ensure you get the treatment you need and the compensation to pay for it.

How Common Are Cancer Misdiagnoses?

The American Cancer Society and the Journal of Clinical Oncology estimate that about 10 percent of patients tested for cancer for the first time will be misdiagnosed. Misdiagnosing breast cancer accounts for at least 40,000 deaths annually. When analyzing all types of cancer, about 25 percent of those misdiagnosed lead to more serious or terminal situations.

Medical Mistakes Leading to a Cancer Misdiagnosis

Physicians, nurses, lab technicians, hospital personnel, and clinicians can make mistakes that aggravate cancer when it is not treated immediately. Some common mistakes include:

• Failing to order the correct laboratory work.
• Mistakes interpreting processed tissue and blood samples.
• Processing samples of blood and tissue incorrectly in the lab.
• Mistaking cancer symptoms for a less aggressive illness, delaying treatment of the cancer.
• Mistaking a cancerous tumor for a benign one and not ordering chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Our Terre Haute cancer misdiagnosis attorneys work with expert witnesses and draw from our own experience litigating these claims to build a case for compensation covering a patient’s:

• Lost wages.
• Increased medical bills.
• Mental and emotional angst.
• Worsened condition leading to a shorter life expectancy.
• Loss of a loved one if the cancer misdiagnosis ends in a wrongful death.

Indiana’s Medical Review Panel

There are a few exceptions, but generally, before a patient’s attorney can file a medical malpractice lawsuit in civil court, the claim must be submitted to a medical review panel through the Indiana Department of Insurance. The complaint must be filed before the state statute of limitations expires.

A panel of three physicians and one attorney conducts the review. Injured patients and the defendant physician submit evidence for the panel to consider. This can include:

• Medical records.
• Second opinions.
• Eyewitness and expert witness depositions.
• Any other evidence that will aid the panel in its decision.

The panel can state there are factual questions the jury or judge needs to hear further to make a sound decision, or it can definitively state that:

• The defendant misdiagnosed the patient;
• The misdiagnosis was a factor in the harm caused; and
• The degree to which the patient is harmed because of the defendant’s actions.

Medical malpractice claims are complicated, and there are strict rules for filing them. Our cancer misdiagnosis lawyers in Terre Haute thoroughly investigate claims for malpractice and could help clients get the compensation they need and the justice they deserve.

A Terre Haute Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorney Stands with You

At Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin, we do not let our clients wonder how medical malpractice works or let them try to seek compensation alone after a cancer misdiagnosis that worsens their conditions. We are with you every step of this journey, with the goal of getting you the money you need to continue your cancer battle.

You have questions, and we have the answers to make you feel comfortable during this difficult time. We hope to join your fight in the way we know how, with decades of experience helping people just like you. A Terre Haute cancer misdiagnosis lawyer at our firm is ready to take on your case. Call today.