Pittsburgh Bone Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorney
Pennsylvania Failure to Diagnose Cancer Attorney
Bone cancer is one of the most heart-wrenching types of cancer because it commonly afflicts children and young adults. The survival rate is quite good when detected early, but late-stage diagnosis often leads to death or requires amputation to save the young person’s life.
Advances in medicine have made it possible to eradicate most bone cancers if the tumors are still localized to the bone or cartilage. When not diagnosed until after the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, the question is whether doctors missed critical clues or failed their patients by not investigating further.
Hal Waldman and Associates has extensive experience in medical malpractice lawsuits for delayed diagnosis of cancer. We are dedicated to holding medical practitioners accountable for their errors or dismissal of patient complaints that resulted in wrongful death or needless personal suffering, invasive medical treatment and economic losses.
Your bone cancer case matters to us. We care. We are on your side. Call or e-mail our Pittsburgh law office to schedule a free conversation. We serve clients throughout Pennsylvania.
Loss of a Chance: Delayed Diagnosis of Bone Cancer
We handle all bone cancer cases, including osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma, which afflicts children and young adults age 10 to 30, and chondrosarcoma, which usually develops after age 50.
Overall, 85 percent of bone cancer patients reach the five-year survival mark if treated at the localized stage. If the cancer spreads to regional lymph nodes, more aggressive treatments are necessary (including limb salvage surgery or amputation) and survival rates drop to 70 percent. For bone cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body, only 30 percent survive.
Many symptoms of bone cancer are similar to “growing pains” or other health conditions: fatigue, fever, anemia and weight loss. But there are telltale signs, especially chronic symptoms such as stiff bones, tenderness in bones, pain when using the limb, limping or favoring an arm, pain at night and masses or lumps in bones.
The knowledgeable lawyers of Hal Waldman and Associates are adept at demonstrating how the pediatrician, primary care physician, orthopedic specialist, oncologist, radiologist or hospital was negligent:
- Failure to follow up on patient or parent complaints
- Failure to order an X-ray, CT scan or MRI
- Failure to perform a biopsy or blood tests
- Failure to refer to a specialist
- Misinterpretation of imaging scans or biopsy results
- Failure to treat a positive diagnosis accordingly
We Fight for Full Compensation for Cancer Patients and Their Families
If the bone cancer could have and should have been diagnosed earlier, we build a case for all applicable damages: surgical intervention and other medical care, lost earnings (if applicable), loss of limb or disability, reconstructive surgery and artificial limbs, pain and suffering, reduced life expectancy or wrongful death. We work hard for all of our clients, but when a child suffers or dies as a result of medical malpractice, we are that much more committed to justice for the child and the family.
To make an appointment for a free evaluation of your claim, call a Pittsburgh bone cancer misdiagnosis attorney of Hal Waldman and Associates at 412-338-1000 or use our online contact form.