Bladder Cancer Misdiagnosis

Bladder cancer ranks among the most prevalent cancers globally, with approximately 550,000 new cases diagnosed each year worldwide. Despite its prevalence, bladder cancer can be challenging to diagnose accurately, in part because benign conditions and bladder cancer can cause similar symptoms. As such, if a doctor fails to conduct a thorough assessment of a plaintiff’s symptoms, it can lead to a bladder cancer misdiagnosis, causing serious and avoidable damages. If you were harmed by a bladder cancer misdiagnosis, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses, and it is advisable to consult an attorney. At Arfaa Law Group, our skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys can evaluate your injuries and advise you of your options for seeking the maximum compensation recoverable under the law.

Bladder cancer is a malignancy that arises in the tissues of the bladder. Generally, the first symptoms of bladder cancer are blood in the urine, urinary urgency, and pain during urination. If a patient presents to a doctor with such symptoms, the doctor will most likely conduct a variety of tests to determine the cause, including cystoscopy, CT scans and ultrasounds, and urine cytology to detect abnormal cells shed from the bladder lining.

Prompt and thorough testing is crucial to obtaining an correct diagnosis, as symptoms of bladder cancer may mimic those of other benign conditions, leading to bladder cancer misdiagnosis. For example, symptoms resembling those of bladder cancer, such as urinary tract infections or kidney stones, can lead to erroneous diagnoses. This may not only divert attention from the actual underlying condition, but it may also result in unnecessary treatment and mental anguish.

Conversely, when individuals do have bladder cancer, its symptoms may be misattributed to more benign issues, delaying an accurate diagnosis. This can result in the cancer progressing to advanced stages, making it more difficult to treat effectively. Furthermore, delayed treatment can lead to a higher risk of metastasis, impacting survival rates and complicating treatment options.

Doctors are expected to provide their patients with competent care, which includes delivering proper and timely diagnoses. When they fail to meet these expectations, as typically happens in a case involving a bladder cancer misdiagnosis, they may be liable for medical malpractice.

A plaintiff pursuing damages for medical malpractice must first establish liability. To do so, they will generally need to prove the defendant’s negligence. In Maryland, there are four components of negligence: duty, breach, damages, and causation.

Duty refers to the defendant’s obligation to abide by the prevailing standard of care, which is the care that a reasonable professional working in the same practice area would offer in a similar situation when treating the plaintiff. Any act or failure to act that constitutes a departure from the standard is considered a breach. Damages denote the harm suffered by the plaintiff, while causation is a direct link between the defendant’s breach and the plaintiff’s losses.

If the plaintiff proves the defendant’s fault, they may be able to recover compensation for their economic harm, which may include the cost of their medical care, out-of-pocket expenses, and lost wages, and for their non-economic injuries, which typically refers to suffering, pain, and mental and emotional distress.

Expert testimony is a key component of medical malpractice cases, as in all but the clearest of cases, it is needed to establish the standard of care, demonstrate the defendant’s breach of the standard, show causation, and quantify the plaintiff’s damages.

Obtaining a prompt and correct diagnosis is critical in the treatment of bladder cancer and other conditions impacting the bladder, as the wrong diagnosis can result in physical, emotional, and financial harm. If you were hurt by a bladder cancer misdiagnosis, it is wise to talk to an attorney about what claims you may be able to pursue. The trusted Baltimore lawyers of Arfaa Law Group can evaluate your options and aid you in pursuing the best legal outcome available. Our office is located in Baltimore, and we assist parties in the pursuit of medical malpractice claims throughout the city. You can reach us at 410-889-1850 or through our online form to arrange a conference.