Female Patient Died When Physician Delayed Detecting Her Colon Cancer
Statistically less than one percent of those diagnosed with colon cancer are under the age of thirty-five
. Yet, because of the fact that colon cancer can be fatal physicians generally concur that the presence of rectal bleeding, even in a patient under thirty-five, needs to be followed by a colonoscopy to verify whether the bleeding is because of cancer or some other reason. Just supposing that the blood is the result of hemorrhoids does not meet the standard of care.
Consider what happened in a reported claim concerning a woman who complained to her primary care physician that she had blood in her stool and felt pain during bowel movements. The woman was only 24. The physician, justwithout even performing an examination, prescribed 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. This time the doctor finally examined her yet told her she had hemorrhoids. His treatment: an enema. She saw that physician on two additional occassions and every time was reassured her symptoms were due to hemorrhoids and she had nothing to be concerned with.
She needed to be hurried to an emergency room because of intense pain 7 months subsequent to her first trip to her primary care physician. They scheduled a colonoscopy and was found to have advanced colorectal cancer. The cancer was so extensive by the time she had surgery that not only did the surgeon have to take out part of her colon but also had to take out her uterus and part of her lower intestines. The woman then needed chemotherapy. She eventually had a recurrence and died of the cancer not even three years after. She was survived by her husband and daughter, a minor.
The law firm that represented the family documented that a jury returned a verdict of $2.5 million. The amount included the maximum of $350,000 permitted for pain and suffering by the law of the State where the doctor practices. The remainder of the amount was for future lost wages. This claim illustrates what is perhaps the most common medical mistake regarding the delayed diagnosis of colon cancer.
Far too often physicians do not perform a colonoscopy or send the person to a specialist when a person complains of rectal bleeding or blood in the stool. Instead, these physicians simply assume that the blood is caused by hemorrhoids. This is particularly common when the patient is less than 50.
If a situation like that described above occurs and the patient passes away for the reason that the cancer progressed to the point of not being curable due to the delay in diagnosis the surviving family may be able to bring a lawsuit against the doctor who caused the delay.