Chicago Misdiagnosis Cancer Attorney
In Chicago and throughout the United States, cancer diagnoses occur more often than many patients would like to think. According to the American Cancer Association, more than 1.8 million new cases of cancer are likely to be diagnosed each year, and more than 600,000 people die each year from cancer. Some cancers are more common than others, including breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, and melanoma. Many of these types of cancer can be treated effectively if they are caught early and diagnosed accurately so that the patient can receive proper care.
When a misdiagnoses occurs and a patient’s cancer is not treated in a timely manner, the cancer can spread, and the harm can be irreparable. If you or someone you love received a misdiagnoses, you should seek advice from a Chicago misdiagnosis cancer attorney as soon as possible to find out more about filing a claim for financial compensation and holding the negligent healthcare provider accountable.
Where Cancer Misdiagnoses Occur in Chicago
Where and how do most cancer misdiagnoses occur? The following are some common examples of misdiagnosis cases:
- Physician’s failure to recognize signs of cancer;
- Radiologist’s misreading of an ultrasound or mammogram;
- Oncologist error in staging a diagnosed cancer;
- Laboratory making an error in completing a diagnostic test;
- Mistake made during an ultrasound, an MRI, or another diagnostic tool; or
- Healthcare facility hiring a doctor with a history of misdiagnosis claims.
Statute of Limitations for a Cancer Misdiagnosis Claim in Chicago
For most medical malpractice claims, Illinois law says that the clock on the statute of limitations will start to tick on the date of the healthcare provider’s negligence, such as the date of an anesthesia error or a medication mistake that resulted in a patient taking the wrong drug. In some cases, however, the clock starts to tick on the date that the patient learned about the healthcare provider’s error, which can be years later.
Many misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose cancer claims will fall into this latter category since patients may not realize they have been misdiagnosed until more obvious signs and symptoms appear.
Contact Our Chicago Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyers Today
Learning that you were misdiagnosed and that your healthcare provider failed to diagnose cancer can be absolutely devastating. Not only can a patient realize that her cancer is no longer curable because of a doctor’s mistake, but her family will also have to grapple with the devastating news that a family member could have been properly and fully treated but for a healthcare provider’s negligence. It is critical to do everything you can to hold the negligent healthcare provider accountable for the harm they have caused.
From a family physician to a radiologist to a laboratory, our experienced Chicago cancer misdiagnosis attorneys can help you to file a claim against the party or parties responsible for your misdiagnosis. Contact Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC to learn more about how our firm can assist you.