Leukemia Misdiagnosis: Missed Warning Signs and Your Legal Options
Leukemia is a life-threatening cancer that is too often misdiagnosed. As with other types of cancer, leukemia is progressive. The longer the condition is undiagnosed and untreated, the greater threat it poses to the individual. Unfortunately, leukemia causes symptoms that may be overlooked or misinterpreted by a negligent doctor.
Individuals who suffer physical, emotional, or financial damages related to missed warning signs and leukemia misdiagnosis should understand their legal options. Medical malpractice lawyers at Younker Hyde Macfarlane, PLLC work with individuals in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area to file a medical malpractice lawsuit to pursue compensation for damages.
Leukemia Symptoms and Warning Signs
Leukemia symptoms and warning signs vary based on the severity and progression of the disease. Early stages of slow-growing leukemia may cause no noticeable side effects. Rapid-growing leukemia and advanced stages of leukemia may cause numerous warning signs and symptoms, which could vary by patient. Leukemia symptoms that should not be ignored include:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Unexplained weight loss
- Easy bleeding or bruising
- Recurrent nosebleeds
- Frequent or severe infections
- Fever or chills
- Small rashes
Reasons for Misdiagnosis of Leukemia
Leukemia can be misdiagnosed as other conditions with similar symptoms and warning signs. Misdiagnosis most frequently occurs because a medical professional fails to take symptoms seriously or neglects to perform the proper diagnostic tests for leukemia. Blood tests are useful in diagnosing leukemia but the only definitive diagnostic test is a biopsy.
Examples of Misdiagnosis
Many of the symptoms and warning signs of leukemia overlap with other less serious medical conditions. Patients who present with a fever, chills, and fatigue are often misdiagnosed with a flu or other virus, or even dismissed as suffering from stress. Other leukemia symptoms can be confused as symptoms of blood disorders.
Risks of Misdiagnosis
Leukemia misdiagnosis and failure to diagnose can be very dangerous to Salt Lake City patients. Without diagnosis and treatment, cancer can spread. Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can cause severe consequences for patients, including:
- More advanced stages of the disease
- Need for more invasive and costly medical treatment
- Prolonged pain and suffering
- Death
Filing a Misdiagnosis Lawsuit
Leukemia misdiagnosis victims have legal options. When a medical professional fails to deliver the accepted standard of care and a patient suffers physical, emotional, or financial damages, medical staff or the treating hospital may be liable for losses.
Medical malpractice lawyers at Younker Hyde Macfarlane, PLLC understand standards of care and work with experts in the medical field to prove cases of medical neglect. They are prepared to work hard on a patient’s behalf to hold liable parties accountable for losses such as:
- Medical expenses
- Anticipated costs of future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Diminished wage-earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death losses (when the disease is fatal)
Schedule a Free Case Review
If you believe you or a family member is a victim of delayed diagnosis or failure to diagnose, our lawyers can provide a free case review to discuss your legal options. Contact our law firm online to schedule a consultation at your earliest convenience.
