Missouri residents who experience medical problems that are unfamiliar to them may experience high levels of anxiety. Most people rely on medical professionals to accurately diagnose and treat their conditions. Failure to diagnose dreaded diseases such as cancer may lead to devastating results. Modern medical technology allows for accurate diagnoses, yet many cases of failure to diagnose continue to occur.
A man from another state recently received an award of $5.6 million after filing a lawsuit against a hospital that failed to diagnose his cancer. The man had apparently consulted with doctors at the facility in 2008 after a small tumor developed in his mouth. The man says the doctors assured him that the tumor was not malignant. However, during the next three years, the tumor’s increase in size could be compared to that of a man’s fist, having begun as the size of a lima bean.
After multiple surgeries to remove the growth, the man lost all feeling on the affected side of his mouth. This resulted in a condition where he has no control of the left side of his face, allowing saliva to run from his mouth. He asserts that the current condition could have been avoided had the diagnosis in 2008 been accurate.
People in Missouri who are suffering the consequences of a medical professional’s failure to diagnose may be facing many challenges. In addition to medical expenses, the impact of misdiagnosis of a disease such as cancer can impact many aspects of a person’s life. By filing a medical malpractice claim in a civil court, the plaintiff may receive monetary compensation to cover medical expenses and any additional damages as allowed by applicable state laws.
Source: khon2.com, “Mililani man awarded $5.6 million after cancer misdiagnosis”, Nov. 26, 2014