subject: 7 Month Holdup In Diagnosing Colon Cancer Results In Death Of 27 Year-old Wife And Mother [print this page] It is estimated that less than one percent people diagnosed with colon cancer are below the age of 35. But, given the fact that colon cancer can kill doctors usually acknowledge that rectal bleeding, even in someone under thirty-five, needs to be followed by a colonoscopy in order to determine if the bleeding is because of a tumor or some other reason. Merely supposing that the blood is caused by hemorrhoids may constitute malpractice.
Consider what happened in a reported claim involving a woman who told her primary care physician that she noticed blood in her stool and felt pain when having bowel movements. The woman was only 24 years old. The doctor, justwithout even doing an examination, told her to take a laxative after diagnosing her with diarrhea and other bowel issues. The woman went back after 4 months with complaints of constipation, pain and problems sitting. On this occasion the doctor finally examined her yet told her she had hemorrhoids. The physician recommended an enema. The woman saw that doctor two more times and each time was told her symptoms were due to hemorrhoids and she had nothing to be concerned with.
She had to be hurried to an emergency room complaining of severe pain seven months following her initial trip to the family physician. They scheduled a colonoscopy through which she was diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer. She had surgery (which as a consequence of how far the cancer had advanced included not only removal of a portion of her colon but also of her uterus and a portion of the lower intestines). The surgery was subsequently followed by chemotherapy. The woman eventually had a recurrence and died of the cancer not even three years later. Her husband and minor daughter survived her.
The law firm that represented the family revealed that a jury awarded the family a sum of $2.5 million. The amount included the maximum of $350,000 permitted for pain and suffering under the law of the State where the doctor practices. The rest of the amount was for future lost wages. This lawsuit is just one example of what is perhaps the most frequent medical mistake concerning a delay in the diagnosis of colon cancer.
Far too often doctors do not do a colonoscopy or send the person to a specialist when a patient complains of rectal bleeding or blood in the stool. Instead, these doctors just assume that the blood is the result of hemorrhoids. This is especially typical if the person is less than 50 years old.
If a matter like the one above occurs and the person passes away due to the fact the cancer spread to where it was no longer curable due to the delay in diagnosis the surviving family might be able to bring a case against the doctor who caused the delay.
by: Joseph Hernandez
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