Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis
When doctors make mistakes, patients and their loved ones suffer. That’s why it’s crucial that you speak with Brooklyn, NY medical malpractice attorneys if you or your family have been the victims of a negligent medical professional.
The team at Zucker & Regev would like to focus on improper diagnosis of breast cancer and why these kinds of medical errors must be taken seriously. Our negligence attorneys are here to help.
Statistics on Breast Cancer
For a sense of how common breast cancer is, consider this fact from the American Cancer Society: roughly 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime; that’s 12 percent of the female population.
According to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is the most common type of cancer experienced by women. In 2016 alone, there were 16,057 reported cases of breast cancer in New York State. Breast cancer is the second highest cause of death among women with cancer, behind lung and bronchial cancer.
With numbers like these, doctors who notice the warning signs of breast cancer should be able to properly diagnose and treat the problem. Unfortunately, mistakes are made.
Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer
The most common signs and symptoms of breast cancer include:
- Formation of a lump or node in the breasts
- Pain or soreness of a breast or both breasts
- Redness or swelling of a breast or both breasts
- Changes in the appearance of the nipples
- Strange discharge from the nipples
- Dimpling of the breast skin (like an orange or lemon peel)
Common risk factors for breast cancer include:
- Family history of breast cancer
- Advanced age
- Previous struggles with breast cancer
- History of smoking or excessive alcohol consumption
- Poor general health and wellness
When doctors fail to recognize the symptoms or warning signs of breast cancer, our team of Brooklyn medical malpractice lawyers can hold them accountable.
The Survival Rates for Breast Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate from breast cancer is 90 percent. In other words, as long as women undergoes proper treatment and the cancer is detected in its early stages, there is a high probability that they will survive.
The Consequences of Delayed Treatment
Misdiagnosis can severely impact the above survival rates, and can lead to major difficulties with treatment.
For instance, if breast cancer is not diagnosed promptly, a woman may have to undergo a mastectomy rather than just chemotherapy or radiation therapy. There’s also the risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body if it is not diagnosed soon. This puts a woman’s general health at risk, and could prove fatal depending on the severity of the patient’s condition.
Legal Damages from Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis
If you have required major medical treatments due to a breast cancer misdiagnosis or you have lost a loved one due to a delayed diagnosis, our Brooklyn medical malpractice lawyers are here to help. We will seek compensatory damages to cover the financial losses associated with extra medical care needs. We can also seek punitive damages if the case of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis was particularly egregious.
Contact Our Medical Malpractice Attorneys
If you would like more information about your legal options following the misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of breast cancer, be sure to contact our team of medical malpractice lawyers. The team at Zucker & Regev can be reached by phone at (718) 624-1211.