Maryland Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyer
There are multiple ways in which a misdiagnosis of cervical cancer can occur. If diagnosed correctly and early, cervical cancer is very treatable. However, if an error in diagnosis occurs, cervical cancer may grow and spread to other parts of the body and become much more difficult to treat. A physician, cytotechnologist, or both may be responsible for cervical cancer misdiagnosis.
Medical malpractice cases tend to be complicated, due to the volumes of medical jargon and how several actors and facilities may be held liable. A Maryland cervical cancer misdiagnosis lawyer could assist you in understanding any potential claims and evaluating the claims in your case. Reach out to a dedicated cervical cancer misdiagnosis attorney today.
How Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Can Happen
There are many ways in which the misdiagnosis of cervical cancer commonly occurs, including:
- Failure to provide screenings
- Failure to interpret results accurately
- Failure to provide diagnostic tests
Pap smears can be effective, when used properly, in detecting cell changes even prior to the development of cervical cancer. Failure to provide or encourage pap smears, particularly in cases in which medical history or risk factors indicate that cervical cancer may be a concern, could be the basis of a professional negligence claim.
In some cases, physicians make the appropriate decision to order a pap smear, but the physician or cytotechnologist makes a subsequent error regarding the pap smear results. A cytotechnologist is typically the individual responsible for analyzing the slides from a pap smear for the presence of abnormal cells.
The cytotechnologist, or another laboratory technician, may rush through the slides and miss the signs of cell changes. The laboratory results, in this circumstance, would be negative for abnormal cells, despite the presence of cell changes.
Miscommunication between the laboratory and physician’s office may also lead to the interpretation of results as negative for abnormal cells, even though the laboratory detected cell changes.
Even if the physician orders the pap smear and the pap smear results are accurately positive, the physician may need to run diagnostic tests in order to pinpoint the cause of the cell changes as cervical cancer. If the physician confirms the presence of cervical cancer, imaging may be required in order to determine the stage and severity of the cancer.
A physician’s failure to respond in accordance with the standard of care, upon receiving pap smear results that indicate the presence of abnormal cells, may be grounds for a medical malpractice claim. A cervical cancer misdiagnosis lawyer in Maryland could help individuals in gathering evidence to support a claim.
How Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Affects Patients
Since cervical cancer may not cause any alarming symptoms in the early stages, pap smears and appropriate follow-up care may be the most crucial factors in detecting and treating cervical cancer in the early stages. By the time a patient begins to experience the typical symptoms of cervical cancer, the cancer may have progressed to an advanced stage.
At advanced stages, aggressive treatment is an option, but it comes with a greater financial cost and lower chances of survival due to the progression of the cancer to other parts of the body. A Maryland cervical cancer misdiagnosis attorney could assist individuals in calculating medical expenses and determining the value of non-economic losses, like pain and suffering. Also, an experienced lawyer could help file a claim promptly.
Contact a Maryland Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorney Today
If you receive a diagnosis of cervical cancer, you likely have a multitude of questions and concerns on your mind. A Maryland cervical cancer misdiagnosis lawyer could assist you with legal guidance while you focus on options for your care. Call today.
