Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis
Breast cancer misdiagnosis can have devastating effects on you and your loved ones. Facing undiagnosed breast cancer or undergoing treatment for a non-existent condition is likely to result in needless pain, suffering, and expense. Those responsible for your pain should be held accountable and made to pay for their mistakes.
If a breast cancer misdiagnosis has impacted you or a loved one, contact Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our team of knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyers will discuss your case and discover the potential compensation you could receive for your pain and suffering.
How Working with an Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney Can Help
You can hold negligent healthcare providers accountable by seeking legal assistance and fighting to recover the compensation you deserve for your suffering and expenses. Your actions may also help protect other breast cancer patients from undergoing a similar situation.
The Chicago cancer misdiagnosis lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. have extensive experience handling cases where a healthcare provider failed to diagnose cancer accurately. We understand the intricacies of medical malpractice claims and will advocate tirelessly and effectively on your behalf.
A medical malpractice attorney can help you get compensation by:
- Gathering and Analyzing Medical Records – Our lawyers meticulously review all your medical records to identify inconsistencies and errors. We build a detailed picture of how the misdiagnosis occurred and its impact on your health.
- Consulting with Medical Experts – We collaborate with leading medical experts to validate our findings and build credibility to strengthen your case. Expert testimony can be pivotal in demonstrating how negligence led to your harm and suffering.
- Building a Strong Case – Our attorneys construct a compelling narrative showing how the healthcare provider’s actions deviated from acceptable standards of care. This includes highlighting specific instances of negligence or error with evidence and expert testimony.
- Seeking Maximum Compensation – We fight for the highest possible compensation to cover your medical treatment, lost wages, and future care needs. Additionally, we seek compensation for your emotional and physical pain and suffering.
- Negotiating with Insurance Companies – Our lawyers handle all communications and negotiations with insurance companies to protect your rights. This allows you to focus on your recovery or caring for an affected loved one.
- Litigating for You in Court – We aggressively negotiate a fair settlement to avoid the need for legal action, but we do not shy away from fighting injustice. As reputable litigators, we are familiar with presenting complex medical evidence in a clear-cut manner to a judge or jury.
- Providing Support and Guidance – Our attorneys know how challenging it can be to pursue compensation on top of going through a cancer misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. We keep you informed and supported while we manage your medical malpractice claim.
At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., our medical malpractice attorneys have recovered more than $2.5 billion to date, including more than 350 seven-figure awards and the highest compensatory verdict awarded to an individual plaintiff in Illinois history. Our medical malpractice case results include:
Statistics Regarding Cancer Misdiagnoses
Cancer misdiagnoses are common, particularly for breast cancer patients. Here are a few key statistics that highlight the severity of this issue:
- Cancer Misdiagnosis – According to a study by the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM), healthcare providers misdiagnose as many as 11.1 percent of cancer patients, including 8.9 percent of breast cancer patients.
- Mammogram Mistakes – Mammograms miss about 20 percent of all breast cancers, leading to missed cancer diagnoses, delayed diagnosis, and treatment delays, according to the National Cancer Institute.
- Breast Cancer Overdiagnosis – According to a study reported by CNN, overdiagnosis affects roughly 47 percent of women ages 75 to 84 who were recently screened for breast cancer, leading to unwanted or unnecessary aggressive treatment.
Survival rates for breast cancer patients vary significantly based on the stage at diagnosis:
- Breast cancer patients who receive an accurate diagnosis of early-stage localized cancer have a 99 percent survival rate after five years, according to the Office on Women’s Health.
- Patients who do not receive a timely diagnosis have dramatically reduced survival rates.
What Factors Contribute to Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis?
Several factors contribute to breast cancer misdiagnosis, including:
- Primary Care Diagnostic Errors – A lack of specialized knowledge or insufficient examination can lead to breast cancer misdiagnosis. These errors often arise from inadequate training or failure to follow proper diagnostic protocols.
- Doctor’s Negligence – Failure to order appropriate tests or misinterpreting test results can lead to cancer misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis.
- Breast Biopsy Errors – Poor quality or inaccurate interpretation of a breast biopsy affects the accuracy of a cancer diagnosis. Inaccurate biopsies can lead to unnecessary treatments or missed diagnoses, causing further complications.
- Lab Errors – Mislabeled, lost, or incorrectly attributed lab results contribute to breast cancer misdiagnosis. Such errors can mislead healthcare providers and delay proper diagnosis and treatment.
- Low-Image Mammograms – Digital mammography is more accurate than film mammography in detecting cancer in women under 50, those with dense breast tissue, and premenopausal or perimenopausal women.
- Communication Breakdowns – Poor communication between healthcare providers can lead to incomplete or incorrect patient information, further contributing to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.
Consequences of a Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis
The consequences of a breast cancer misdiagnosis can be drastic. Patients with a breast cancer misdiagnosis or overdiagnosis:
- May undergo chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and other treatments they do not need
- Often suffer the severe side effects of these treatments
- Go into debt for high medical bills and lost wages
- Suffer considerable mental anguish for a disease they do not have
Patients with a delayed diagnosis are at greater risk of their cancer advancing and spreading. They experience:
- Less viable treatment options
- More aggressive and invasive treatments
- Less successful outcomes
Contact Our Skilled Medical Malpractice Attorneys for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one has been affected by a breast cancer misdiagnosis, the Chicago cancer misdiagnosis lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. can help. We understand the importance of a timely diagnosis and the severe implications of a healthcare provider’s failure to deliver an accurate diagnosis. Count on our lawyers to evaluate your case and provide information so you can make the right choice for you or a loved one. Contact us today to get started with a free, no-obligation consultation.
