Ross Feller Casey, a Philadelphia personal injury law firm with a national reputation for winning record results, has established itself as the foremost authority in cases involving the failure to timely diagnose and treat cancers, including lung cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.
Over the last five years alone, Ross Feller Casey has recovered $1 billion for its clients – a remarkable result that includes multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts in prostate cancer-related lawsuits.
Mistakes in diagnosing cancer can happen in several ways. In some cases, there is a delayed cancer diagnosis when doctors fail to evaluate tests correctly or don't order the correct tests promptly, causing a delay in the proper diagnosis.
In other cases, there may be a complete failure to diagnose cancer at all. It is only when another doctor identifies it or, in the worst situations, it is found after the patient dies that the cancer comes to light.
Sometimes, cancer is diagnosed as some other condition. For example, a patient with lung cancer may be misdiagnosed as having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) instead of cancer. Or a breast cancer patient may receive a diagnosis fibrocystic breast disease, which is typically benign, rather than the more serious diagnosis of cancer.
When medical professionals don't catch a patient’s prostate cancer, the patient’s life is at stake. This is because a misdiagnosis can prevent proper treatment and allow the cancer to grow. Often, by the time severe symptoms evidence themselves, it has become too late to treat the cancer successfully. The patient may be terminally ill because the window for catching and responding to the disease has closed. Patients or loved ones of patients who have suffered a delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer can file a prostate cancer lawsuit.
Uniquely positioned to handle medical malpractice cases, Ross Feller Casey is a firm with a team of nationally recognized doctors right on staff. The prostate cancer malpractice lawyers at Ross Feller Casey have won multiple multimillion-dollar lawsuits involving the misdiagnosis and failure to properly treat cancer patients. Based in Philadelphia, the prostate cancer attorneys of Ross Feller Casey are available to help misdiagnosed prostate cancer patients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Because early forms of prostate cancer typically do not show symptoms, early detection is crucial. Below are the primary methods for diagnosing prostate cancer:
Physical Exam. If a doctor suspects a patient may have prostate cancer, the first step is usually asking about medical history and performing a physical exam. The doctor might conduct a digital rectal exam (DRE) to feel for any bumps or hard areas on the prostate. If any irregularities are detected, further testing is warranted. If your doctor did perform a DRE that revealed abnormalities but then stopped testing at that point, it may have prevented an appropriate cancer diagnosis.
PSA Blood Test. Known as the test for detecting prostate cancer early, the PSA blood test is one of the first screenings done for men who have any prostate cancer symptoms. High numbers indicate a higher likelihood of prostate cancer. If your doctor did not discuss the benefits and risks of PSA testing with you or did not conduct PSA blood testing despite warning signs for prostate cancer, or if they conducted the test but disregarded high numbers, you may have a medical malpractice case.
Prostate Biopsy. If PSA blood testing and/or a DRE show potential for prostate cancer, this biopsy is necessary to find out if cancer is at work. If a prostate biopsy could have confirmed a cancer diagnosis, but your doctor did not order one, you might need to consult with an attorney.
Experienced medical malpractice attorneys can help you understand your legal options, whether it was you or someone you love who suffered a delay in treatment as a result of prostate cancer misdiagnosis. Philadelphia law firm, Ross Feller Casey, has those experienced lawyers as well as physicians on staff to review your case. Our team has the expertise and the resources to ensure the best possible outcome for your medical malpractice lawsuit. Let us help ease the financial burden caused by your prostate cancer misdiagnosis. We're in your corner.
Ross Feller Casey handles all of its medical malpractice claims on a contingency basis, so you only pay when a financial recovery is awarded. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.