Early cancer diagnosis saves lives. Once cancer metastasizes, more aggressive treatment is necessary, and the patient’s prognosis is less promising. If a doctor fails to address the early signs of cancer, that delay can prove deadly. The five-year survival rates for many common forms of cancer are high when caught early. Metastasis causes those survival rates to plummet.
At Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman, we have helped numerous clients throughout New York and nationwide obtain significant monetary compensation. Since 1971, we have successfully recovered over $2 billion for our clients. We’re ready to help you seek the restitution you deserve during this difficult time.
A cancer misdiagnosis involves medical malpractice. We understand the trauma of a cancer diagnosis and its impact on our clients’ lives, and we will fight to hold those healthcare professionals responsible for your cancer misdiagnosis. Cancer misdiagnosis cases are complex and require astute legal representation with outside resources employed to build a sound case.
Our case results for the failure to diagnose cancer include:
Call us at (212) 684-1880 or contact us online today to request your free and confidential consultation.
A cancer diagnosis may involve more than simply missing the disease in its early stages. A doctor may diagnose the wrong type of cancer or mistake it for another illness, leading to unnecessary and ineffective treatment while the disease continues to invade the body. For instance, gynecological cancers are frequently misdiagnosed as other conditions, such as polyps or fibroids.
A doctor may not order the proper tests based on the patient’s symptoms, or they may misread test results. Based on the patient’s history, they could be at high risk for certain types of cancer, but the doctor does not recommend appropriate screening tests. In addition, it is not always the doctor who is at fault. The testing laboratory may have failed to identify abnormal cell activity indicating cancer.
Some patients are diagnosed with cancer when they do not have this disease. Not only do they undergo the psychological trauma of believing they have cancer and suffering the effects of treatment, but they may have some other disease that remains undiagnosed and untreated.
At Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP, our proven New York cancer misdiagnosis attorneys have been helping people with difficult and complex medical malpractice claims for more than 40 years. We have extensive experience helping people who have suffered due to a doctor’s failure to properly diagnose and treat cancer.
In some cases, doctors fail to run tests that would detect cancer early on, giving the cancer the chance to metastasize to other parts of the body. In some cases, cancer is detected, but doctors fail to perform proper treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy, allowing the cancer to become terminal.
Our lawyers understand the keys to success in building a medical malpractice case. Not all instances of misdiagnosis are viable claims. There must be solid proof that a doctor in good standing failed to diagnose the cancer, despite there being solid evidence supporting the illness. We have access to a network of expert witnesses—including experts in medical diagnosis, oncology, and other related fields—who help us build compelling cases for our clients. They can provide solid testimony as to whether a misread mammogram or other error caused the failure to diagnose. We empathize with the hardships that you face and are prepared to help you obtain the significant financial relief you need and deserve.
Perhaps the most obvious sign of a potential cancer misdiagnosis is the worsening of symptoms after being informed you did not have cancer. Perhaps you underwent treatment with no effect. Suspect potential cancer misdiagnosis if either of these situations occurs.
The type of cancer also plays a role. For instance, the breast tissue of pre-menopausal women is denser than that of post-menopausal women. Due to this density, mammograms are more likely to miss tumors in younger women. According to the American Cancer Society, mammograms miss about one in eight breast cancers.
Colon and lung cancers are often misdiagnosed as other diseases. The former is sometimes diagnosed as diverticulitis, as both conditions involve inflammation, nausea, and abdominal pain. Symptoms of the latter are similar to that of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), as well as that of pneumonia.
Due to the complexity of these cases, it is advisable to seek legal representation with your cancer misdiagnosis lawsuit after you receive the correct diagnosis for your condition.
For most medical malpractice cases in New York, the stature of limitations is two and a half years. Lavern’s Law extends the period in which one can file a cancer misdiagnosis claim, which is seven years since the negligent misdiagnosis.
An alternative statute of limitations for filing a cancer misdiagnosis lawsuit is the last treatment date after a continual course of treatment for which you were initially misdiagnosed, whichever is later.
To prevail in a cancer misdiagnosis lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove that a doctor-patient relationship existed. The plaintiff must also show that the cancer misdiagnosis was due to medical negligence and that this negligence resulted in harm to the plaintiff, incurring specific damages. Our experienced attorneys can assess your case confidentially at no cost by calling (212) 684-1880 or by completing a contact form.
Compensation, or damages, in a cancer misdiagnosis lawsuit may include:
Our lawyers understand the keys to success in building a medical malpractice case. We have access to a network of expert witnesses—including experts in medical diagnosis, oncology, and other related fields—who help us build compelling cases for our clients. We empathize with your hardships and are prepared to help you obtain the significant financial relief you need and deserve.
Partner Thomas Giuffra’s innovative approach, thorough preparation, and trial advocacy skill have led to 20 verdicts and numerous settlements in excess of one million dollars on behalf of his clients, including a recent landmark verdict for $58 Million. Tom is one of the youngest trial lawyers in New York to amass such a successful record at trial.
Partner Edward A. Ruffo has obtained many medical malpractice awards of $1 million and up for clients. After focusing on product liability litigation, he added medical malpractice. He recalls, “The time came when our practice started to take on many substantial matters of medical malpractice. I volunteered to handle those cases and had to learn how to read a medical record on a case-by-case basis. This was before Google, so all I had was a medical dictionary. Over time, I was able to understand the records, in some cases better than the doctors involved in the case.”
When you choose our firm, you will receive the experience of a large, renowned firm and the care and compassion that can only come from a dedicated team that genuinely cares about you and your recovery. We will work closely with you throughout the process, offering personalized guidance and attentive counsel every step of the way.
If you or a loved one are the victim of a cancer misdiagnosis, you need the services of an experienced New York medical malpractice lawyer at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today. Since we work on a contingency fee basis, you will not pay attorney’s fees unless we win compensation.
It all starts with a conversation. Request a free case evaluation with our medical malpractice team today.
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