Cancer Misdiagnosis

New Jersey Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorneys

Medical Malpractice Lawyers for Misdiagnosed Cancer, Delayed Diagnosis, and Failure to Diagnose in NJ

Need a lawyer for failure to diagnose cancer in NJPerhaps the most significant element to anyone facing a life-threatening disease like cancer is time. Remembering it, savoring it, desiring more of it; time becomes a luxury, a coveted, diminishing commodity that tragically, no amount of money can buy. The moments, memories, and milestones that compose a life become increasingly significant as the life itself is placed in jeopardy. Sadly, cancer poses an incredible threat to the lives of so many in the United States and around the world. Still, perhaps more shockingly, cancer is misdiagnosed with astounding frequency, whether the diagnosis is incorrect, delayed, or never made at all. According to the American Journal of Medicine, cancer misdiagnosis represents approximately 15 percent of all new cancer diagnoses. Although some of these instances are unpreventable, there are millions more that result from the negligence of the medical professionals who are tasked with correctly identifying, evaluating, and pursuing potential threats to your health and survival.

For decades, the lawyers at Fronzuto Law Group have been dedicated to protecting and advocating for clients and their families who have suffered undue harm as a result of cancer misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, failure to diagnose to cancer, and other forms of medical negligence. With millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements behind us, we remain on the front lines of the justice system every day, working to ensure that our clients receive the compensation that they deserve. At our firm, we see things differently, approaching each case, not as a client or a patient, but as a person. We are passionate about creating a dynamic relationship that truly epitomizes what it means to be a “counselor” to our clients. As we assist you in navigating the complex and often overwhelming journey ahead, our team of medical malpractice lawyer will ensure that you are thoroughly informed every step of the way. To speak with one of our knowledgeable New Jersey cancer misdiagnosis attorneys at Fronzuto Law Group free of charge, simply contact our offices at 973-435-4551 or contact us online to find the answers to your questions.

Cancers that can be Misdiagnosed

Whether your cancer diagnosis was delayed, misinterpreted, or missed entirely, the attorneys at Fronzuto Law Group will thoroughly investigate your case to uncover potential sources of negligence, and take aggressive action against the parties responsible for your misdiagnosis. Our medical malpractice group has successfully advocated for clients facing a vast array of cancer misdiagnoses and failures to diagnose in a timely manner, including:

Working with relevant experts in the field and utilizing all of the knowledge and resources at our disposal, we will develop a comprehensive case on your behalf and pursue maximum compensation for your medical expenses, loss of income, and perhaps most significantly, pain and suffering. Further, we do not accept payment of any kind from you until we achieve a recovery.

Delayed Diagnosis and Failure to Diagnose Cancer

Cancer has long been one of the top two causes of death in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, over 16.9 million Americans survived cancer in 2019, 1.8 million will be new cancer victims in 2020, and nearly 606,520 will die of the disease. Although this category of diseases is often referenced as a whole, not all cancers are alike. For instance, some cancers are more curable than others, although this is only true when the cancer is diagnosed and treated early. How can a cancer diagnosis come too late? If you think your doctor took too long to diagnose your cancer, causing you complications, a prolonged delay in proper treatment, and advanced disease progression, you should be aware of why delayed diagnoses happen and what you can do when you have suffered harm as a result of medical negligence.

A medical diagnosis is derived from a long chain of information from the patient to the doctor to referred specialists and labs. Often, information can get lost along the way. For the most part, the general population is not educated or aware of cancer symptoms in the early stages, so they may not consult their doctors until the cancer has progressed enough for the patient to notice, perhaps when they begin experiencing pain, feel a lump, see an unusual mole, or begin having difficulties with one of the main bodily functioning, such as frequent urination. At this point, a timely and accurate diagnosis may spell the difference between life and death.

Aside from alarming symptoms, most people see their primary care physicians for their first visit for a non-emergency problem. However, primary care physicians are not oncologists trained to look for early signs of cancer, and most patients present with non-specific symptoms. For instance, a patient with multiple myeloma, cancer of the white blood cells, may complain of back pain, while a pancreatic cancer patient may go to the doctor for a stomachache. For these complaints, a physician may look at the patient’s age and arrive at the most common cause of the symptoms as a first diagnosis. In addition, the pressure to save costs may not lead to wide-ranging diagnostic testing for various causes. Clearly, some cancers are harder to detect than others, like those that show distinctive signs only at advanced stages of the disease. Nevertheless, easier to detect cancers like breast and testicular cancer, still get misdiagnosed when a patient presents with atypical symptoms.

When the initial consulting physician misreads or pauses over the symptoms, patients often end up with multiple consultations before receiving a referral. In turn, patients who keep returning begin to doubt themselves, thinking they may be imagining symptoms or overreacting, some giving up until forced into hospital care. So, primary care doctors sometimes miss the cancer diagnosis and delay the critically timely referral to the right specialist. Additionally, if the patient sees more than one physician at their primary care office, the chances for missed or delayed diagnosis is higher. Seeing the same physician each visit increases the likelihood of early cancer detection.

Another source of delay is the hospital physician’s testing to find the right diagnosis. If the primary care physician refers the patient to the hospital for tests, depending on the number of tests, there can be a significant delay between a diagnosis and the start of the treatment. Directing the patient to the appropriate specialist may add more time to a time-sensitive cancer development.

Consequences of Cancer Misdiagnosis and Missed Diagnosis

When it comes to cancer of all types, the question is always in the cure, starting with timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment. Depending on the type of cancer and existing treatment advances, fighting curable cancer and beating back others with the goal of entering remission may be the goal. With incorrect information and indecisive, indirect language at consultation, physicians may delay or misdiagnose cancer, causing multiple visits. Then referrals get delayed, as well as treatment. These communication failings can be mitigated when physicians connect with their patients more as partners than authoritative figures addressing subordinates. Physicians who make their patients feel at ease and invested in the relationship allow patients feel free to talk openly about their lives and symptoms as well as ask questions, a crucial dialogue for diagnosing cancer.

Whether doctor or health care system delays occur when scheduling appointments, getting diagnostic tests, receiving the correct diagnosis and beginning treatment, the gap becomes wider between symptoms first appearing and treatment. In turn, this lowers the survival rate, especially for cancers like breast cancer, which has high survival rates if detected early. In fact, the best defense against breast cancer is early intervention. And cancer that is diagnosed in the later stages of development is harder to treat, with longer therapeutic treatment.

If you believe your treatment was longer or you suffered disease progression or further complications due to a delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis of cancer, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Cancer victims injured due to medical negligence may recover damages for increased medical costs, economic losses for missed work, pain and suffering, and future medical expenses under New Jersey’s medical malpractice laws. Likewise, those with lost loved ones due to cancer misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose may pursue legal action for wrongful death. If either of these situations applies to you, a knowledgeable medical malpractice attorney can help analyze your case, identify the right experts to establish negligence, file the right documents on time, and aggressively pursue a lawsuit against those responsible, ultimately increasing the odds for a successful claim.

Contact New Jersey Failure to Diagnose Cancer Lawyers Today

Nothing can replace the time that you have lost. However, we can assist you in obtaining compensation from those responsible for causing so much harm to you and your family. To discuss the circumstances of your case with a member of our skilled medical malpractice team, contact our New Jersey offices anytime for a free initial consultation. We can be reached at 973-435-4551, toll free at 888-409-0816, or contact us online.

Practice Areas

Our attorneys advocate for those who suffer injuries due to the negligence of physicians, nurses, other health care professionals, hospitals, and medical facilities.

Medical Malpractice

Our team addresses the most complex of pediatric malpractice cases, including rare conditions such as craniosynostosis and plagiocephaly.

Pediatric Malpractice

Our firm represents individuals who are injured by improperly designed and manufactured products, including pharmaceuticals and medical devices, auto products, and sporting equipment.

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Liability

Our attorneys advocate for those who suffer injuries due to the negligence of physicians, nurses, other health care professionals, hospitals, and medical facilities.

Wrongful Death

If you or your child suffers from a birth injury, Fronzuto Law Group can help.

Birth Injuries

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