Doctors generally use a blood test, called the PSA test, to screen men with no symptoms for cancer of the prostate. Physicians generally agree that high PSA levels require a need to let the patient know he may have cancer and to either refer the patient to a specialist or follow up with diagnostic testing to determine whether the patient does have 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 prior to telling the man that the patient might have cancer. By the time the man was diagnosed he already had advanced prostate cancer. The law firm that represented this man reported they were able to settle the case for $600,000 on behalf of the patient. In the second reported case, a physician took sixteen months, with three consecutive abnormal PSA readings, prior to informing his patient, a 64 year old man. Prior to that the doctor had actually told the patient that the results were normal for a patient his age. The result: the cancer had already spread to the man’s seminal vesicles. The law firm that handled this matter was able to report a settlement of $1.5 million 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 physician, a cancer lawyer can help you determine whether that doctor 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.
