Skin cancer screening

Skin cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies in the United States, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. Regular skin cancer screenings by a healthcare professional are essential for catching skin cancer in its initial stages, as they can identify atypical moles or lesions that may otherwise go unnoticed, enabling timely intervention and reducing the risk of disease progression. If a doctor fails to conduct such screenings or performs them improperly, skin cancer may go undiagnosed until it has progressed to the point that it is fatal. If you were harmed by inadequate skin cancer screening, you may be able to pursue medical malpractice claims, and you should talk to an attorney. The skillful Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers can assess the circumstances that led to your harm and aid you in determining what steps to take to protect your interests. We frequently represent people harmed by medical malpractice litigate claims in Syracuse, Rochester, and throughout Upstate New York.

Skin cancer screening is a key component of identifying early signs of skin malignancies, thereby increasing the chances of successful treatment and better outcomes. Standard screening protocols involve healthcare professionals' thorough visual inspections of the skin, often complemented by dermoscopy, to examine suspicious moles or lesions in greater detail. Guidelines from healthcare organizations emphasize the importance of regular skin checks, particularly for individuals at higher risk due to factors such as fair skin, extensive sun exposure, or a family history of skin cancer.

Adhering to these screening standards is crucial, as failure to do so can result in delayed diagnoses, allowing skin cancers to advance to more severe stages where treatment is less effective. Regular screenings not only aid in early detection but also play a critical role in reducing mortality and morbidity associated with skin cancer.

When doctors and other healthcare providers neglect to perform skin cancer screening in accordance with recommendations, melanoma and other malignancies can go undetected. Such oversights can cause grave harm and often constitute grounds for pursuing malpractice claims.

In most instances, a plaintiff in a medical malpractice lawsuit must prove the defendant’s negligence to demonstrate liability. In New York, proving negligence requires a plaintiff to establish four components. The first component is a duty the defendant owes the plaintiff. In the realm of medical care, the duty a doctor owes a patient is to provide treatment that constitutes the good and accepted practice of medicine. The second component of negligence is a breach of the duty owed; in other words, the plaintiff has to show that the defendant failed to uphold the standard of care. The third and fourth components are damages and causation, which means that the plaintiff needs to establish that they suffered measurable losses and that such losses were the direct result of the defendant’s departure from the standard of care.

As the judge or jury tasked with determining liability will most likely lack an independent understanding of what is required under the standard of care imposed on the defendant, in most instances, the plaintiff will need to retain a medical expert to offer testimony explaining the standard and how the defendant failed to uphold it, and to connect the defendant’s behavior to the plaintiff’s harm.

Skin cancer screening is an important preventative care measure that helps improve patient outcomes and treatment options; conversely, errors in the screening process can lead to malignancies progressing unchecked, which ultimately causes devastating harm. If you suffered losses due to a doctor’s careless disregard of skin cancer screening protocols, it would benefit you to confer with an attorney regarding your rights. The capable Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers are committed to helping people harmed by medical errors seek redress for their losses, and if you engage our services, we will work tirelessly to help you seek the outcome you deserve. We regularly represent people in medical malpractice lawsuits in Syracuse and in Rochester and throughout Upstate New York. To arrange a confidential and free conference, you can reach us through our online form or by calling us at 833-200-2000.