Improper Cancer Treatment

Cancer can cause devastating losses, and people diagnosed with the disease often express concerns about their long-term prognoses. Fortunately, many cancer patients respond well to treatment and go on to live long and healthy lives. When doctors fail to administer prompt and appropriate care, though, cancer can spread and become harder to manage, leading to irreparable harm. If you sustained losses due to improper cancer treatment, you have the right to pursue claims against your health care providers, and you should speak to an attorney as soon as possible. The capable Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers of Arfaa Law Group dedicate their practice to helping people harmed by incompetent care seek justice for their losses, and if we represent you, we will zealously pursue the best outcome available under the facts of your case.

There are numerous treatments available for people diagnosed with cancer, and which option is appropriate will depend on the patient’s unique circumstances. In most instances, however, prompt care is essential, as even brief delays can allow a cancer to progress. In patients with localized cancer, a doctor may be able to remove the entire affected area via surgery. If the physician fails to perform the tests necessary to ensure that no cancer cells remain after the procedure though, the cancer may spread throughout the patient’s body.

Doctors often prescribe patients suffering from more advanced cancer radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of the two treatments. If the chosen regimen is ineffective, a patient’s condition may worsen, while if the care provided is unnecessarily aggressive, it can impact other areas of the patient’s health. In some instances, patients suffer harm due to carelessness during the process of administering chemotherapy or radiation.

The failure to properly treat cancer often constitutes medical malpractice. As such, a patient impacted by a doctor’s incompetence may be able to recover damages via a civil lawsuit. Typically, a plaintiff in a malpractice case will assert a medical negligence claim against the defendant.

In Maryland, in order to establish negligence in the context of medical treatment, a plaintiff must first show that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty to provide treatment that complied with the applicable standard of care. In other words, the defendant was obligated to render care that a reasonably competent professional working in the same practice area as the defendant would offer in the same situation. The plaintiff must then show that the defendant’s actions or failure to act represent a breach of the standard. In most cases, the judge or jury determining liability will not have an independent understanding of the relevant standard. As such, the plaintiff will have to hire a medical expert to explain the defendant’s duties and the ways in which they were breached.

The plaintiff must also link the defendant’s actions to the harm ultimately suffered. This means that the plaintiff must show that the defendant’s deviation from the standard of care caused the plaintiff to suffer quantifiable losses, which typically requires expert testimony as well. A plaintiff that adequately proves a defendant’s actions constitute malpractice may be awarded damages for the cost of any necessary medical care, out-of-pocket expenses, and lost wages. In most instances, a plaintiff will also be awarded compensation for the intangible harm caused by the defendant’s negligence, such as the loss of quality of life, suffering, pain, and mental anguish.

Proper cancer treatment is critical to positive outcomes, and doctors that provide improper cancer treatment should be held accountable for the harm they cause their patients. If you suffered losses because of the negligence of a health care provider, you could be owed damages, and you should speak to a lawyer. The seasoned attorneys of Arfaa Law Group can advise you of your possible claims and assist you in pursuing the full amount of compensation recoverable under the law. We regularly represent people harmed by careless doctors in medical malpractice lawsuits in Baltimore, where our office is located. You can contact us through our online form or at (410) 889-1850 to set up a conference.