Attorneys Assisting People with Cancer Misdiagnosis in Maryland
A cancer misdiagnosis can have serious, even deadly, consequences for a patient. Unfortunately, these errors are more common than you may think. If you or someone close to you was harmed due to a misdiagnosis of cancer or another disease, you might be able to file a medical malpractice claim for your harm or loss. At the Law Offices of Cardaro & Peek, our Baltimore cancer misdiagnosis lawyers can analyze the facts of your case to determine the cause of your injuries. If we accept your case, you can rest assured that we will advocate aggressively for you to pursue full and fair compensation.
Legal Claims Based on a Misdiagnosis of Cancer
Approximately20 percent of all medical diagnoses are objectively wrong, according to areport by the New York Times. A 2014 landmark study estimated that 12 millionU.S. patients are misdiagnosed annually. However, the study only examinedmisdiagnoses that affected outpatients, so the number is probably higher. A misdiagnosiscan happen concerning any type of cancer, including breast, skin, cervical,colorectal, and prostate cancer. Many of these cancers have early screenings.For example, early screening for breast cancer involves a mammogram, whereas acolonoscopy can be used for early detection of colorectal cancer. Theconsequences can be devastating if these screenings are not done or the resultsare not correctly interpreted.
Physiciansare trained to identify and recognize symptoms associated with various medicalconditions. A misdiagnosis involves diagnosing a disease that is not present orfailing to diagnose a disease that is present. When a medical professionalmisdiagnoses cancer, it can result in a life-threatening or even deadlysituation for the patient. If a physician fails to diagnose cancer for manymonths, cancer may spread during that time and may be no longer treatable so thepatient may die. In such a scenario, a cancer misdiagnosis attorney in Baltimorecan bring a malpractice claim. Had it not been for the misdiagnosis, thepatient may have been able to seek life-saving or life-extending treatment.
In Maryland,medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to use the level ofcare that a reasonably prudent healthcare provider would have used in similarcircumstances. To bring a malpractice claim, the plaintiff must establish thata doctor-patient relationship existed at the time of the misdiagnosis, themisdiagnosis was a result of the health care provider deviating from theappropriate standard of care, and the patient suffered harm as a direct resultof the misdiagnosis. Each of these elements must be shown before any damagescan be recovered.
If medicalmalpractice is established, our Baltimore cancer misdiagnosis attorneys may beable to recover a variety of damages. In medical malpractice, “damages” ismonetary compensation for the victim’s injuries. Some common examples ofdamages in misdiagnosis cases include medical expenses, rehabilitation costs,pain and suffering, lost wages, the cost of future care, and any other lossesarising from the malpractice. Each case is different, and the number of damagesthat a plaintiff will be entitled to obtain in a given case will vary.
We Represent Patients Who Have Been Misdiagnosed
Below is alist of some of the more common types of cancers.
- Breast Cancer
- Colon Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Skin Cancer (Melanoma)
- Brain Cancer
- Salivary Gland Cancer
- Blood Cancers (Leukemia)
- Stomach Cancer
- Bladder Cancer
- Lung Cancer
Consult an Experienced Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyer in Baltimore
If you or someone close to you has received a cancer misdiagnosis, you need to reach out to a seasoned attorney who can help you obtain compensation for your harm or the death of a loved one. At the Law Offices of Cardaro & Peek, we are dedicated to holding negligent medical professionals accountable for the harm that they cause. We represent people in cities such as Baltimore, Pikesville, Catonsville, Towson, Woodlawn, Dundalk, Essex, Randallstown, Arbutus, Reisterstown, Laurel, Silver Springs, and other areas of Baltimore, Montgomery, and Anne Arundel Counties.
