Lung cancer is a potentially fatal disease. One’s odds of beating it could vary significantly depending on the stage it is in when the patient receives a diagnosis. A doctor is generally the person responsible for identifying the symptoms of lung cancer.
Usually, a physician orders certain tests to confirm cancer in the lungs before giving a patient a lung cancer diagnosis. If a doctor assessed you or a loved one but failed to make a diagnosis of lung cancer, they could be deemed negligent if you received such a diagnosis later.
The case that a doctor or other parties were negligent in failing to diagnose lung cancer may not always be straightforward. Having a Chicago failure to diagnose lung cancer lawyer lead your case could help you recover financial awards.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 217-6099 for a free consultation. We can answer your questions and explain how we could handle your case related to a failure to diagnose lung cancer.
A Doctor Should Know the Signs of Lung Cancer
If you went to a medical professional with your concerns about symptoms related to lung cancer, then you may have been reasonably expecting them to inform you of whether those symptoms could be the sign of something serious, lung cancer or otherwise.
A doctor’s general responsibilities may be to:
- Ask you about all the symptoms you have experienced
- Gain a full picture of your health, particularly the symptoms that could indicate the presence of lung cancer
- Order tests that could provide greater insight into your condition
- Refer you to a doctor who specializes in conditions such as lung cancer if they do not feel they can provide a definitive diagnosis
What a doctor should not do is dismiss or fail to investigate any symptoms that could be warning signs of lung cancer. A doctor should either spot and probe the signs of lung cancer or recommend that you see another doctor qualified to do the same.
A doctor should have gotten to the bottom of any of the following lung cancer symptoms, as detailed by the Mayo Clinic, if you or a loved one showed or reported one or more of them. Lung cancer symptoms include:
Persistent Coughing
Whether it is due to a scratchy throat or a seasonal illness, an occasional cough can be expected throughout one’s life. However, a cough that persists for any significant length of time, especially one that seems to worsen over time, could be a sign of lung cancer.
Such a cough could be accompanied by hacking and even coughing up blood. These may all be indications that somebody has developed lung cancer and should be investigated thoroughly.
Chest Pain and Shortness of Breath
Lung cancer may show itself when one engages in the mildest forms of exertion and even when they do not. Someone may experience chest pains and shortness of breath. While these symptoms may become more evident when someone is walking upstairs or exercising (or engaging in other physical activity), the signs could emerge even when one is not exerting themselves.
Unexplained Weight Loss
Losing weight without trying can be reason for concern. Weight loss could indicate any number of health issues, but lung cancer is among the explanations for unintentional and unexplained weight loss.
A doctor who knows of these or other lung cancer symptoms should help you understand what is causing the problem. If you report more than one of these symptoms, and the doctor did not act in a way to eventually lead to a lung cancer diagnosis, then the doctor may have put you at great risk.
A Chicago failure to diagnose lung cancer lawyer may be able to navigate the legal process on your behalf and help you seek compensation for your losses. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today to learn how we do not shy away from tough cases and may be able to lead your fight for awards. Give us a call today and schedule a free consultation.
Failure to Diagnose May Be Fatal
Harvard Health Publishing explains the importance of screening for and detecting lung cancer in its early stages. It notes that:
- Lung cancer caught early enough may be treated and possibly cured through surgery.
- Lung cancer is relatively common, so patients should be screened with regularity (with screenings coming possibly at a doctor’s order).
- High-risk groups, such as former and current smokers, should be handled cautiously when it comes to a lung cancer screening.
- There are established, accessible methods for detecting and diagnosing lung cancer.
Catching any form of cancer early in its progression may be key to a patient’s survival. Lung cancer may be especially important to catch early, as treatment options may become limited as the cancer spreads throughout the lungs and the body.
A doctor’s failure to diagnose lung cancer could allow the disease to progress, and it may be responsible for cancer that may have been treatable before becoming incurable.
For a free legal consultation with a Failure to Diagnose Lawyer serving Chicago, call (800) 794-0444
Call the Team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
Whether lung cancer that has affected you led a loved one to die or has yet to claim a life, a lawyer can bring a lawsuit on your behalf. The nature of the lawsuit may depend on the harm the lung cancer has caused or is likely to cause.
A lawyer can speak with you and other affected loved ones about why you believe a doctor or other medical professional should have acted differently. They also may talk with you about why you think they may have failed to diagnose your lung cancer or a loved one’s cancer. Our team may then proceed with your case by consulting medical professionals, gathering evidence, and fighting for fair compensation.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 217-6099 to schedule your free consultation and learn how a Chicago failure to diagnose lung cancer lawyer might be able to help you.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
