Failure to Diagnose Brain Cancer

People with brain cancer typically have better outcomes if they are diagnosed and treated when the cancer is in the early stages. As such, when a patient presents to a doctor with symptoms that may indicate brain cancer, the doctor should take immediate action, including conducting diagnostic tests, to determine the cause. It is not uncommon for doctors to disregard a patient’s symptoms of brain cancer, though, or attribute them to common illnesses, and consequently, for brain cancer to go undiagnosed. People with brain cancer have a much better prognosis if it is diagnosed in the early stages, and therefore, the failure to diagnose cancer can greatly impair their health and chances of treatment being successful. If you or someone you love experienced losses due to a doctor’s missed or delayed brain cancer diagnosis, you have the right to seek damages in a medical malpractice claim, and it is wise to meet with an attorney. At Arfaa Law Group, our experienced Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys dedicate their practice to helping victims of incompetent medical care seek justice, and if you engage our services, we will aggressively pursue any compensation you may be owed.

Early detection of brain cancer is crucial as it allows for timely intervention, which can include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy aimed at controlling the growth of the tumor and alleviating symptoms. As such, the failure to diagnose brain cancer is a grave medical error that can significantly impact a patient's prognosis and quality of life.

Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis may occur due to a lack of recognition of early symptoms, such as headaches, seizures, cognitive changes, and visual disturbances, which can be mistakenly attributed to less serious conditions. Additionally, inadequate use of diagnostic tools like MRI or CT scans or failure to follow up on abnormal findings can lead to missed diagnoses. The progression of undiagnosed brain cancer can result in advanced disease stages that are more difficult to treat and have significantly lower survival rates.

People harmed by the failure to diagnose brain cancer will often seek compensation via medical malpractice claims against the doctor who neglected to provide a prompt and accurate diagnosis. As such oversights are typically the result of carelessness, most plaintiffs in medical malpractice lawsuits will allege the defendant was negligent.

In Maryland, four elements comprise negligence, and a plaintiff must establish each element to prevail. First, they must prove that the defendant owed them a duty. The duty a doctor owes a patient, which derives from the treatment relationship, is to comply with the relevant standard of care, which is the care a competent doctor in the same field would offer when faced with a similar set of facts. Second, the plaintiff has to illustrate that the defendant’s care deviated from the standard and, therefore, constitutes a breach. Third, the plaintiff has to prove that they suffered actual harm, and fourth, the plaintiff must connect that harm to the defendant’s breach. In other words, they have to demonstrate that, but for the defendant’s behavior they would not have sustained the losses in question.

In most instances, expert testimony is necessary to describe the standard of care, the ways in which the defendant deviated from the standard, and to demonstrate causation.

Brain cancer is a devastating illness, but when it is diagnosed in the early stages, treatment options have a better chance of success; as such, a delayed or missed diagnosis can cause grave harm. If you sustained losses due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose brain cancer, it is important to understand your rights, and you should confer with an attorney as soon as possible. The capable Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers of Arfaa Law Group are practiced at demonstrating the liability of negligent physicians, and if you hire us, we will gather the evidence needed to demonstrate that you should be granted any compensation available. We have an office in Baltimore, and we frequently represent parties in the pursuit of compensation in medical malpractice lawsuits throughout the city. You can reach us at 410-889-1850 or through our online form to set up a consultation.