Breast cancer is the fifth leading cause of death for women age 40 and above, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 39,520 women are expected to die from breast cancer in 2011, according to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.
Caring and experienced medical professionals help save lives every day by diagnosing early stage breast cancer. Unfortunately, some healthcare providers deviate from proper methods of diagnosis and treatment and become perpetrators of medical malpractice, which includes:
- Failure to diagnose breast cancer
- Failure to follow-up on positive breast cancer finding
- Failure to recommend needed treatments
When you visit the doctor because you are concerned about breast cancer, there are certain standards of practice to which the doctor must adhere. Breast cancer can be diagnosed several ways, including:
- Clinical breast exam
- Mammogram
- Other imaging equipment
- Biopsy
If a physician acts negligently in any of these steps of detection, a tragedy can result. In Florida, attorney Michael Barszcz has represented women whose cancer spread because their doctors failed to diagnose breast cancer. Medical malpractice can also arise if a doctor neglects to inform the patient of a positive cancer finding.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Take this opportunity to remember those who have bravely fought this disease, and remember you can always seek a second medical opinion.
Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., has the medical experience to knowledgeably handle your medical malpractice case. Please contact Orlando, Florida, medical malpractice attorney Michael Barszcz to schedule a consultation.