Maryland Misread Pap Smears Lawyer
Countless women heed the recommendations to get routine pap smears, hoping to have any signs of cervical cancer detected early and treated effectively. Over the past few decades, pap smears have emerged as efficient tools for detecting pre-cancerous cells and affording patients a greater chance of survival due to early detection.
However, in cases in which the doctor, the lab technician, or both misread or misinterpret pap smear results, the error can cause an individual to live months or years with untreated cancer progressively advancing throughout their system. If you have cervical cancer, and you suspect that medical malpractice may have occurred in the reading of your pap smear results, contact a Maryland misread pap smears lawyer. An experienced cervical cancer medical malpractice attorney could fight for your right to compensation.
Interpretation of Pap Smears
In the administration of a pap test, physicians collect cells from the cervix and surrounding areas. After collecting the specimen, physicians typically send it to a laboratory. A cytotechnologist, at the laboratory, reads the slides in an effort to detect cell changes. According to the National Institutes of Health, readings of pap smears lead to one of the following results:
- Normal
- Abnormal
- Inconclusive
Distraction, inattention, and heavy workloads can contribute to errors in results. Many laboratory technicians work under the pressure to read hundreds of slides in a short amount of time. When cytotechnologists read pap smears hastily, they may fail to notice abnormal cells. The presence of abnormal cells is not a definitive sign of cervical cancer, but it is an indicator that further testing is necessary for proper diagnosis.
A physician may also fail to detect the presence of abnormal cells due to misreading or miscommunication with the laboratory. Since several medical professionals and facilities may be involved in the reading and interpretation of pap smears, it can be difficult for individuals to find out how and where the error occurred.
A misread pap smears lawyer in Maryland may be able to provide assistance in understanding the pertinent sections of medical records and results and identifying the individuals or facilities which may be held liable for negligence. For more information, reach out to a well-versed lawyer.
Effects of Misread Pap Smears
When medical professionals misread pap smears, their error can produce either false-positives or false-negatives. A false-positive can cause needless alarm and anxiety for the patient who may undergo additional unwarranted testing, for fear of the development of cervical cancer. A false-negative can be severely damaging to an individual’s chances of success in treatment for cervical cancer.
The recipient of the false-negative result will not have the opportunity to undergo the necessary additional testing at a time when the cancerous cells are in early stages or yet undeveloped. Instead, the patient whose cell changes went undetected may not become aware of the progressing cancer until troubling symptoms manifest or a medical professional reads a subsequent pap smear correctly.
The span of time that could pass between the date on which the abnormal cells should have been detected and the date on which the patient finds out the correct results is significant. A misread pap smears lawyer in Maryland could assist individuals in gathering expenses and determining the economic and non-economic value of the loss.
Speak with a Maryland Misread Pap Smears Attorney Today
If you find out that you have cervical cancer, and you suspect that it could have been detected earlier, you may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses and pain and suffering. Contact a Maryland misread pap smears lawyer for help.