Failure to diagnose cancer causes delay in treatment

healyscanlonveugelergannon • July 25, 2014

When a person feels sick, it is recommended by health professionals to not take over the counter medicines and instead visit a doctor. This is done by people in Illinois with the firm belief that the doctor will be able to correctly diagnose their illness, help the patient get correct treatment on time, and ultimately stop the disease or infection from spreading; sometimes though, the doctor may fail to properly diagnose the medical condition.

This happened in a case where the parents of a boy who was suffering from a fever took him to a hospital in Illinois. The same doctor examined the boy 13 times and repeatedly informed the parents that the child was suffering from persistent fever. Upon a request by the parents, the doctor also examined a swelling that had formed on the boy’s left buttock. The boy was subsequently taken to a children’s hospital where he was diagnosed with a slow-growing cancer.

Failure to diagnose the condition affected the condition of the boy and caused a considerable delay in treatment. Over a period of time, the germ cell tumor grew considerably and intertwined with nerves and major arteries; surgery could not be performed and the boy had to undergo aggressive chemotherapy. These intense chemotherapy sessions caused hearing loss, and pain and suffering to the child. In addition, the child may have to endure further medical complications.

The parents of the minor child filed a lawsuit against the doctor and the hospital claiming more than $100,000 as well as other reliefs. They claimed the doctor negligently failed to acknowledge and document the reports of the lump that was growing on the child’s buttock and failed to fully investigate the mass formation. They also claimed that the doctor failed to document the requirement of a follow up visit after the child fell and stated he experienced lower back pain.

According to the  Illinois personal injury  laws, any person who suffers due to medical negligence can file a lawsuit against the negligent doctor and the hospital. The person may claim damages from the negligent medical providers. Assistance from a professional may help the parents file the claim correctly, and analyze medical records and doctor credentials that may be important to ascertain the damages caused to the patient.

Source:  The Madison-St. Clair Record, “ Parents say doctor failed to timely diagnose son’s cancer ,” July 11, 2014

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