Charlotte Sometimes Blogs

Doctors generally rely in part on a blood test, referred to as the PSA test, to screen asymptomatic male patients for cancer of the prostate.  Physicians generally agree that high PSA levels require a need to let the patient know about the possibility of cancer and to either refer the patient to a specialist or follow up with diagnostic testing to rule out prostate cancer.  Yet, delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer cases are all too common. 

Consider the following reported cases.  In the first reported case, a doctor waited two years after consecutive abnormal PSA test results before telling the male patient that the patient may have cancer.  By the time the man was diagnosed the result was that he had advanced prostate cancer.  The law firm that represented this man reported they were able to settle the claim for $600,000 on behalf of the patient.  In the second reported case, a physician took sixteen months, with three consecutive abnormally high PSA readings, prior to letting the patient know, a 64 year old man.  Prior to that the doctor had actually told the male patient that the results were normal for a male his age.  The result: the cancer had already reached the man’s seminal vesicles. The law firm that handled this lawsuit was able to report a settlement of $1,500,000 on the man’s behalf. 

As these two lawsuits show, if a physician does not follow up on an abnormal result from a cancer screening test and the patient’s cancer progresses to an advanced stage during the delay caused by the doctor, a cancer lawyer can help you figure out if that physician is liable for malpractice.  In the worst case situation, a wrongful death attorney can assist the patient’s family find out if they may have a wrongful death claim.  The above should not be considered medical or legal advice.  You should always consult with a doctor before taking medical advice or making a medical decision.  And always consult with an attorney concerning any potential legal matter.