Lung Cancer and Medical Malpractice
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the U.S. Approximately 215,000 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed each year and nearly 162,000 people die of lung cancer annually, according to the National Cancer Institute. An estimated 1,850 people in Connecticut died of lung and bronchial cancer during 2008.
Because lung cancer can be so deadly, a timely and accurate diagnosis can make all the difference in the outcome. Early detection gives medical professionals the opportunity to treat the disease before it spreads to the lymph nodes and, subsequently, to other parts of the body.
The attorneys at Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder, PC, have an impressive record of success representing clients in medical malpractice cases involving misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose lung cancer.
Early Diagnosis and Survival Rates
Lung cancer statistics clearly illustrate the benefits of early diagnosis.
Overall, the five-year survival rate for people with lung cancer is about 15 percent. If diagnosed while the cancer is localized in the lung, the five-year survival rate increases to 49.5 percent. If the cancer spreads to a secondary site, such as the brain or bones, the five-year survival rate drops to just 2.8 percent.
Medical malpractice can occur in a number of ways in lung cancer cases:
- A radiologist misreads an X-ray, CT scan or other diagnostic test
- A primary care physician fails to order appropriate tests
- Test results are misplaced or ignored
- Appropriate treatment is delayed
- Mistakes are made in surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy
A lawsuit cannot give our clients back everything that malpractice took from them. However, it can help you recover compensation for your losses, and may help prevent similar mistakes in the future.
If you are wondering whether medical malpractice played a role in your disease or that of your loved one, please contact Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder, PC, to arrange a free consultation and case evaluation. From offices in Bridgeport, Stamford, Danbury and New Haven, Connecticut, our medical malpractice lawyers represent clients throughout the state.
