Mammograms are one of the most common medical procedures in America and are one of the most heavily legislated. Radiologists and other medical professionals who administer mammograms must follow proper procedures and identify risk factors as soon as possible, but an inherent uncertainty to any type of medicine exists and honest mistakes are possible. However, when a radiologist fails to accurately read a mammogram and a patient experiences a delayed diagnosis as a result, this can lead to significant damages, including delayed cancer treatment.
If you or a loved one recently received a breast cancer diagnosis and believe a prior mammogram should have detected the cancer, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible about your potential options for legal recourse. Contact Sullivan, Papain, Block, McManus, Coffinas, & Cannavo, P.C., in New York City to schedule a free consultation with a medical malpractice lawyer.
Why Hire Our Firm?
- Sullivan, Papain, Block, McManus, Coffinas, & Cannavo, P.C., has a strong record of successful medical malpractice lawsuits and experience with all types of medical malpractice claims in New York City.
- We have helped clients secure more than $2 billion in compensation over the past decade.
- Our firm is committed to our community and has acted as lead counsel representing 9/11 first responders and as general counsel to the Uniformed Firefighters Association of New York.
- We offer our clients contingency fee billing, meaning we only take legal fees when we win cases and our fees will be a portion of a client’s total case award.
Why Hire a Lawyer?
Medical malpractice claims are some of the most complex personal injury cases that involve expert witnesses, complicated damages, and high standards for evidence. At the crux of any medical malpractice claim is the standard of care for the plaintiff’s condition and whether the defendant met or breached this standard. The average person with no legal training may not know how to prove a defendant was negligent or violated the standard of care, may overlook potentially valuable avenues of compensation, and will not know how to contact expert witnesses to help with the claim.
Possible Effects of Mammogram Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis
One of the primary reasons for having a mammogram is to detect the early signs of breast cancer. It is important to remember that mammograms are not 100% accurate, and some early cancer signs may be undetectable even with flawlessly executed diagnostic processes. However, when a radiologist misreads a mammogram or fails to account for factors that may indicate breast cancer or other harmful conditions, he or she commits medical malpractice and absorbs liability for the patient’s resulting damages.
- A misdiagnosis of a false positive could lead to a patient undergoing unnecessary chemotherapy procedures or other cancer treatments with severe side effects.
- A false negative could mean that a patient with breast cancer or another medical condition does not receive timely treatment, allowing the condition to worsen.
- A patient who undergoes a mastectomy due to a false positive could suffer intense physical pain and psychological trauma.
- Cancer that a radiologist should have identified in a mammogram could spread to other parts of the body and require more significant treatment.
It is imperative for radiologists to properly inspect mammogram readouts and relay accurate information to patients. If any room for doubt as to the accuracy of a diagnosis following a mammogram exists, the attending physician has a responsibility to order additional tests to accurately diagnose the patient.
Contact a Lawyer to Protect Your Rights
If you or a loved one suffered any damages as the result of a misread mammogram in New York City, Contact Sullivan, Papain, Block, McManus, Coffinas, & Cannavo, P.C., today to schedule a free case evaluation with one of our medical malpractice attorneys.