Jackson, Mississippi Misdiagnosis of Cancer Lawyer

When it comes to cancer, early diagnosis is key. The earlier the disease can be diagnosed, the sooner you can begin treatment and the more likely it is you’ll be able to beat it. 

Unfortunately, cancer misdiagnosis is a serious problem in today’s healthcare industry. Every year, 750,000 people suffer serious adverse events or die because of an error in diagnosis. Cancer misdiagnosis accounts for nearly 38 percent of these cases.

Misdiagnosing cancer can lead to delayed treatment, poor health outcomes, serious emotional distress, and premature death.

If you’re struggling because you’ve had cancer misdiagnosed by a healthcare provider in Jackson, Mississippi, it’s time to call the Jackson injury lawyers at Singleton Schreiber. Our Jackson, MS misdiagnosis of cancer lawyers are here to help you navigate this difficult time and demand financial accountability from your doctor.

We bring unmatched experience, knowledge of Mississippi medical malpractice law, and legal strategy to our clients’ cases. We’re known as fearless advocates for justice with a multi-million dollar track record of success. Now, we’re here to be the difference-makers in your cancer misdiagnosis lawsuit, too.

Contact our Mississippi law office to schedule a free consultation.

What Causes Cancer Misdiagnosis?

Even though we associate cancer with oncologists – doctors who specialize in diagnosing, treating, and managing the disease – they’re the ones who typically make the final call, not the ones who identify the early symptoms. That typically falls to primary care physicians, emergency room doctors, and hospitalists. 

That’s why all doctors receive extensive training, education, and hands-on experience in differential diagnosis. Differential diagnosis is a process that allows physicians to evaluate clinical symptoms and diagnostic tests to narrow down the possible health conditions that might be affecting a patient. There are tens of thousands of diseases and health issues – many of which have overlapping symptoms. Doctors are trained to hone in on the differences, eliminate conditions that don’t fit the patient’s criteria, and identify the patient’s specific issue.

The misdiagnosis of cancer occurs when doctors make mistakes during this process. Mistakes aren’t rare. One study found that of patients who sought a second opinion, 20 percent were misdiagnosed by their primary care doctor.

Some of the most common reasons for cancer misdiagnosis, delayed cancer diagnosis, or failure to diagnose cancer include:

• Failing to consider all of a patient’s symptoms as a whole
• Mistakenly attributing signs of cancer for another health issue 
• Failing to order diagnostic tests that could help to confirm or rule out the possibility of cancer
• Failing to refer a patient to a specialist 
• Unfamiliarity with the specific signs and symptoms of cancer, especially when they present atypically
• Misinterpreting test results
• Ignoring patient concerns

One study found that 76 percent of diagnostic errors in primary care settings could be attributed to errors in clinical judgment, including “failure or delay in ordering a diagnostic test” or “failure or delay in obtaining a consult or referral.”  For diseases like cancer that can progress rapidly, every moment counts. So, mistakes like these can have devastating consequences.

Experience Fighting For Cancer Patients and Families in All Types of Cancer Misdiagnosis Cases

At Singleton Schreiber, our Jackson, MS medical malpractice attorneys are dedicated to fighting for the best interests of cancer patients who’ve suffered the consequences of avoidable medical mistakes.

We represent clients who’ve been harmed by the misdiagnosis of all types of cancer, including:

• Breast cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Lung cancer
• Skin cancer
• Lymphoma
• Leukemia
• Bladder cancer
• Liver cancer
• Cervical cancer

While all medical malpractice cases are inherently complex, those involving the misdiagnosis of cancer are particularly complicated. If you want to win your case, it’ll be important to partner with a cancer misdiagnosis attorney in Jackson, MS, who can offer hands-on experience handling cases like yours, in-depth knowledge of relevant laws and procedures, and relationships with highly-regarded medical specialists and expert witnesses. 

That’s why patients and families struggling with the consequences of cancer misdiagnosis turn to Singleton Schreiber.

What Do I Have to Prove to Win a Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawsuit in Jackson, MS?

Misdiagnosis is a form of medical negligence. As the victim of a missed cancer diagnosis, you’ll have the right to sue your healthcare provider for damages.

To win your case and recover compensation for your injuries, you’ll have the burden of proving the following elements:

• Duty of Care: The defendant (typically the provider that misdiagnosed your cancer or delayed the diagnosis of your disease) owed you a duty of care. You generally need to show that a provider-patient relationship existed.
• Breach of Duty: The defendant breached the duty because they deviated from accepted standards of care. You have to point to a specific action or failure to act that allowed the misdiagnosis – such as a failure to order certain diagnostic tests, improper assessment of lab results, or a failure to refer to a specialist.
• Causation: It’s not enough that you were misdiagnosed. That misdiagnosis must have caused an injury of some type – like an unreasonable progression in the disease, worse health outcomes, personal injury, a shortened lifespan, or the wrongful death of a loved one.
• Damages: You must present specific damages that you’ve incurred because of the cancer misdiagnosis – such as medical expenses, lost wages and income, emotional distress, or pain and suffering.

Ultimately, you need to show that a reasonable healthcare provider of the same specialty wouldn’t have made the same mistake as your doctor. If you’d been treated by someone else, they would have likely identified the condition and prevented the harm you’ve suffered.

Singleton Schreiber’s Mississippi Misdiagnosis of Cancer Attorneys Are Ready to Fight For You

Cancer misdiagnosis is directly tied to poor health outcomes, increased medical costs, and premature death. When you’ve been affected by a cancer diagnosis in Jackson, MS, it’s important to take action. Singleton Schreiber can offer the powerful legal representation you need to hold your doctor accountable and force the life-changing monetary award you deserve.

Our Jackson, MS cancer misdiagnosis of cancer lawyers offer decades of combined experience litigating high-stakes medical malpractice disputes.  We’re known for our relentless pursuit of justice for our clients and a refusal to back down until we’ve achieved the best outcome.

You have limited time to file a medical malpractice lawsuit in Mississippi, so don’t hesitate to contact our Jackson law office to discuss your misdiagnosis of cancer case today.