Failure to Diagnose Bone Cancer

Bone cancer, or osteosarcoma, is a rare but aggressive cancer that typically requires surgical resection. The prognosis of people with bone cancer depends in large part on when they are diagnosed; the vast majority of people diagnosed with Stage I bone cancer do not die from the disease, but if it has progressed to later stages, it is often fatal. As such, a doctor’s failure to diagnose bone cancer can cause devastating harm and, in many instances, is considered medical malpractice. If you or someone you love sustained losses due to a physician’s careless failure to provide you with a proper diagnosis, it is smart to talk to an attorney about whether you may be owed damages. The knowledgeable Syracuse medical malpractice lawyers of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers have the experience and resources needed to demonstrate reckless healthcare providers should be held accountable for the harm they cause, and if you hire us, we will fight to help you seek the outcome you deserve. We regularly help people pursue medical malpractice claims in Syracuse, where our primary office is located, as well as in Rochester and other cities in Upstate New York.

Typically, the initial and most common indication of bone cancer is pain. Initially, the discomfort might be limited to nighttime or during physical activity, but as the cancer progresses, the pain can become persistent. In certain cases, individuals with bone cancer may observe or feel a lump or mass in proximity to the affected bone. As bone cancer advances, the compromised bone may lose strength and become prone to fractures.

Medical professionals employ various diagnostic procedures, including blood tests, x-rays, MRIs, and biopsies, to identify \ bone cancer. However, if a physician fails to address a patient's concerns and neglects necessary examinations, bone cancer may remain undetected.

The failure to diagnose bone cancer in a timely manner can have severe consequences. Delayed detection may lead to the cancer progressing to later stages, where treatment outcomes often become less effective. Delays may also result in the need for more extensive surgical procedures, including amputation in some cases. Additionally, the cancer may spread to other parts of the body, reducing treatment options and worsening the overall prognosis. Bone cancer can also cause significant pain and impair the affected individual's mobility and quality of life.

A physician’s failure to diagnose bone cancer can cause irreparable losses. As such, many people harmed by such oversights will pursue claims for damages in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Generally, in such cases, the plaintiff will need to prove the defendant’s negligence to recover damages.

Under New York law, this means that the plaintiff must prove that the defendant owed them a duty of care and that the defendant breached the duty owed in some way. In the setting of medical care, the duty owed to a patient by a doctor is to perform their duties in accordance with what is considered accepted and good medical practice. In other words, if it is considered good practice to order diagnostic tests for a patient who complains of severe bone pain and the defendant failed to do so, it may be considered a breach.

The plaintiff then must establish that the defendant’s breach directly caused the plaintiff to sustain actual losses. Typically, expert testimony is required to describe the standard of care to the judge or jury, to explain how the defendant breached the standard, and to establish causation.

Bone cancer is treatable if it is caught early, but diagnostic delays lead to treatment delays, which drastically worsens the prognosis of people with bone cancer. If you or a loved one suffered losses because of a doctor’s failure to diagnose bone cancer, you should talk to an attorney about your options as soon as possible. The trusted Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers are adept at handling claims against negligent physicians, and we can offer you advice regarding your potential claims and help you to seek any damages recoverable under the law. Our primary office is located in Syracuse, and we regularly represent people in medical malpractice lawsuits in Syracuse, Rochester, and other cities in Upstate New York. You can call us at 833-200-2000 or use our form online to contact us to arrange a confidential and free meeting.