Failure to Diagnose Myeloma

Myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells, is often treatable, and many patients with myeloma have good outcomes. When a myeloma diagnosis is delayed or missed, though, it can lead to serious complications and, in many cases, a reduced life expectancy. The failure to diagnose myeloma is often the result of negligence and may constitute medical malpractice. If you were injured by a physician’s careless disregard of myeloma symptoms, you might be owed compensation, and it is advisable to contact an attorney to discuss your potential claims. The knowledgeable Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers of Arfaa Law Group have ample experience pursuing justice for people harmed by incompetent doctors, and if you engage our services, we will zealously pursue any damages you may be owed.

Myeloma, sometimes called plasma cell myeloma or multiple myeloma, is a cancer that impacts plasma cells, a kind of white blood cell that produces antibodies. People with myeloma often experience symptoms such as infections, anemia, bone pain, and kidney dysfunction. They are also prone to developing amyloidosis, which can cause irregular heartbeats, edema, fatigue, weight loss, and shortness of breath. A doctor that thinks a patient may have myeloma will usually conduct blood and urine tests, bone marrow biopsies, and medical imaging examinations to obtain an accurate diagnosis.

Myeloma is usually treated with chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, and steroids. The prognosis of a person with myeloma largely depends on when they receive a diagnosis. In other words, the failure to diagnose myeloma can shorten their life expectancy and reduce the quality of the years they have left.

Generally, when a patient presents to a doctor with concerning symptoms, they anticipate that they will receive a timely and correct diagnosis. If they do not, it may negatively impact their long-term outcomes, and they may be able to recover compensation for their losses via medical malpractice claims. As most medical malpractice is the result of carelessness, a plaintiff pursuing damages for the failure to diagnose myeloma will most likely allege that the defendant was negligent. In Maryland, negligence is made up of four parts, and the plaintiff must prove each part to prevail.

The first component of negligence is duty. In other words, the plaintiff must show that the defendant owed them a duty. In the context of medical treatment, the defendant’s duty is to comply with the applicable standard of care, which is defined as the care that a reasonable practitioner working in the same specialty would offer when presented with a similar scenario. The second element of negligence, breach, requires the plaintiff to show that the defendant departed from the standard of care. To establish the third element, damages, the plaintiff needs to demonstrate that they suffered quantifiable losses. Finally, the fourth element is causation, which means that the plaintiff has to produce evidence proving that the defendant’s breach of the duty of care proximately caused the plaintiff’s losses. In other words, that the plaintiff’s harm is the direct result of the defendant’s behavior.

In the majority of medical malpractice lawsuits, the plaintiff will need to hire an expert to testify as to what standard of care applies, explain what is required under the standard, and link the defendant’s acts or omissions and the plaintiff’s ultimate harm. A plaintiff that successfully demonstrates a defendant’s liability may be awarded compensation for their economic losses, like medical expenses and lost wages, and non-economic damages, like mental anguish, suffering, and pain.

Myeloma is one of the most common forms of cancer, but people who receive a prompt diagnosis are often able to maintain their quality of life and have a good prognosis. If you were harmed by a physician’s failure to diagnose myeloma, it is advisable to speak to an attorney regarding your options for seeking compensation. The experienced Baltimore lawyers of Arfaa Law Group take pride in helping people injured by negligent healthcare providers in the pursuit of damages, and if you hire us, we will craft persuasive arguments on your behalf. We frequently represent people in medical malpractice lawsuits in Baltimore, where our office is located. You can reach us via our online form or by calling (410) 889-1850 to set up a free and confidential meeting.