Failure to Diagnose Prostate Cancer
A diagnosis of prostate cancer is life-changing, especially when you learn the condition is advanced because early diagnosis did not occur. As a medical malpractice law firm serving the Louisville area, Meinhart & Manning, PLLC, see numerous instances in which victims are struggling with the aftermath of failure to diagnose prostate cancer.
Let us help you understand your legal options. Do not hesitate to contact our Louisville medical malpractice attorneys for the one-on-one support you need.
How Misdiagnosing Prostate Cancer Happens
Medical screenings, family history questions, and, ultimately, diagnostic testing such as digital rectal examinations, transrectal ultrasound, and prostate-specific antigen screenings can all help diagnose this condition. Yet, these diagnostic tests often come after some other warning sign or symptom that a doctor, nurse, or other professional should recognize as a risk to you.
Some of the most common reasons for failure to diagnose prostate cancer include:
- Blood in semen or urine
- Frequent need to urinate, especially at night
- Pain or burning sensation when urinating
- Painful ejaculation
- Interrupted or weak urinary flow
- Inability to urinate
- Pain in the upper thighs, pelvis, lower back, or hips
The Prostate Cancer Foundation notes that early warning signs for prostate cancer are limited. Yet, those with a family history of any form of cancer warrant specific screenings by the age of 40. Those who are African American also need screenings to start at the age of 40.
With proper treatment early on, it may be possible to treat prostate cancer successfully, and survival chances are high. However, any delay can cause further complications or a condition that is too advanced to treat.
How a Failure to Treat Attorney Can Help You
One of the most common challenges victims of these cases have is knowing, beyond a doubt, that their doctor missed something. To determine if medical malpractice impacted your diagnosis and treatment, our failure to diagnose attorneys in Louisville will work very closely with you to uncover what happened. Some of the questions we may pursue include:
- Did you report any warning signs that your doctor failed to record or act on?
- Does your doctor know – because they asked – about your family’s medical history, especially asking about family history of prostate, breast, colon, ovarian, or pancreatic cancers?
- Did your doctor encourage you to get annual screenings if you are in a high-risk group?
- Did your providers fail to create an effective treatment plan after you received a diagnosis?
- Is your condition advanced but you sought out your doctor’s care early?
There is no way to eliminate all the risks of a doctor being able to diagnose a condition. Some doctors make mistakes. Other doctors do what any other provider would have done, but the condition advances. In these situations, you need legal guidance on whether or not your medical provider failed you. Let us help you get that.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Personal Injury Attorney in Louisville
At Meinhart & Manning, PLLC, our medical malpractice lawyers fight for victims of all types of malpractice. If you are not sure if failure to diagnose prostate cancer happened in your situation, contact us. Let our team investigate what happened, and our medical experts provide you with the guidance you need right now. Call us now for a free consultation to get the answers you need and deserve.