Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyer in Nashville
Cancer is a disease that must be caught in its early stages. Even minor delays can be devastating. If you’ve been the victim of cancer misdiagnosis in Nashville, contact NST Law. You may be entitled to compensation from your negligent provider, and our Nashville cancer misdiagnosis lawyers can help you fight for the maximum financial recovery you deserve.
About 1.9 million people receive a cancer diagnosis every year. Prompt and early diagnosis is one of the most critical factors for survival and remission. Unfortunately, research suggests that the top 5 cancers—melanoma and lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer—are misdiagnosed an average of 11.4 percent of the time.
Cancer misdiagnosis can delay necessary treatment and directly contribute to a patient’s deteriorating health and, in many cases, early death.
If you’ve been the victim of cancer misdiagnosis in Nashville, Tennessee, it’s important to consider your legal options. You may have the right to sue your doctor for malpractice. At NST Law, our Nashville cancer misdiagnosis lawyers have the experience and resources you’ll need to win.
Contact our law office in Nashville to arrange a free consultation. You’ll have the opportunity to tell your story to a seasoned attorney, learn about your rights, and discover why you want our award-winning Tennessee trial attorneys fighting for you.
Table Of Contents
- Why NST Law for Cancer Misdiagnosis Cases
- Steps to Take When Faced with Cancer Misdiagnosis
- The Legal Process for Cancer Misdiagnosis Cases
- Understanding Cancer Misdiagnosis
- Compensation and Damages Available to Victims of Cancer Misdiagnosis in Tennessee
- Supporting the Victims of Cancer Misdiagnosis
- Nashville Cancer Misdiagnosis FAQs
Why NST Law for Cancer Misdiagnosis Cases
Medical malpractice plays a large role in many cancer misdiagnosis cases. Doctors fail to listen to patient concerns, dismiss symptoms without consideration, and fail to order critical diagnostic tests. In some cases, tests are ordered, but the results are misconstrued.
Whatever the reason, negligent health care professionals must be held accountable when they misdiagnose or fail to diagnose a patient’s cancer.
Unfortunately, getting justice for medical negligence in Nashville can be challenging. Medical malpractice laws aim to protect providers and hospitals. Meanwhile, medical malpractice lawsuits can be intimidating, expensive, and time-consuming.
The good news is that you don’t have to pursue a cancer misdiagnosis lawsuit alone. Putting NST Law in your corner can give you time to focus on your path forward and set you up for the much-needed financial victory you deserve.
Here’s why our Nashville personal injury lawyers have been trusted advocates for cancer misdiagnosis victims in Tennessee for more than 33 years:
- We’re nationally recognized personal injury attorneys with a proven ability to take on aggressive insurance companies, powerful hospitals, and renowned physicians and win big for our clients.
- As Champions for the Injured, our top-rated attorneys have successfully obtained more than $2 billion in settlements and jury awards.
- We offer our clients the best of both worlds: the resources and power of a large firm and the personalized, compassionate support of a small firm.
- Our legal team has earned some of the most prestigious honors and awards in the legal industry, including Super Lawyers, America’s Most Honored Lawyers, and Top 100 Trial Lawyers.
- Hundreds of client testimonials and reviews highlight how our law firm has not only helped secure financial victory but made a meaningful impact in our clients’ lives.
- There is no cost to hire our award-winning Nashville medical malpractice attorneys unless we win your cancer misdiagnosis case.
A cancer misdiagnosis can steal valuable time away from you and your loved ones. It can be costly and stressful. There’s no better time to fight back than now. NST Law is here to help. Contact our Nashville, TN, law office to get started today. Your first case evaluation is free.
Steps to Take When Faced with Cancer Misdiagnosis
Once you discover that you have cancer – and that your doctor missed the diagnosis in early stages – it’s important to take prompt action.
- Seek medical care from another provider. Seek out an oncologist you can trust and have them dive into your case immediately. Prompt action is critical.
- Gather medical records from your former provider. Contact the hospital or practice and request a complete set of your records—including charts, provider notes, and anything else you’re entitled to.
- Contact an experienced cancer misdiagnosis attorney near you in Nashville, TN. You’ll only have a limited time to file a cancer misdiagnosis lawsuit based on your doctor’s negligence. In Tennessee, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits is one year from the date of the medical error but no more than three years from the date the malpractice is committed. You can be prohibited from filing suit and recovering compensation if you miss the deadline. Getting in touch with an attorney can help ensure your legal rights are fully protected.
When you call NST Law for help with your cancer misdiagnosis case, you can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to help you get the medical treatment you need and win your lawsuit.
Count on our attorneys to:
- Be available to answer important questions about your cancer misdiagnosis case
- Thoroughly investigate your cancer misdiagnosis case
- Bring in qualified medical professionals to consult on your case
- Craft a Certificate of Good Faith to supplement your medical malpractice case
- Gather evidence necessary to prove that your doctor negligently missed your cancer diagnosis
- Build a compelling legal claim designed to force meaningful settlement talks and accelerate negotiations
- Represent your best interests at trial if you don’t receive a reasonable settlement offer
Take this opportunity to focus on beating your disease and moving forward with your life. Let our award-winning cancer misdiagnosis attorneys in Nashville handle the rest.
The Legal Process for Cancer Misdiagnosis Cases
Cancer misdiagnosis cases are a matter of medical malpractice. Simply put, you’ll have the burden of proving that your cancer was misdiagnosed or not diagnosed because your doctor was negligent.
Your cancer misdiagnosis case must prove the following things:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed.
- Your health care provider owed you a duty of care.
- Your health care provider breached this duty by failing to provide care that met accepted standards within the medical community.
- The health care provider’s mistake was the actual and proximate cause of your cancer misdiagnosis.
- You’ve suffered damages.
In Tennessee, health care providers—including primary care physicians and oncologists—are held to high standards. These standards are subjective and ultimately depend on what another physician of the same specialty would have done under the same circumstances.
If your provider “acted with less than or failed to act with ordinary and reasonable care in accordance with such standard,” they can be considered negligent and financially responsible for damages resulting from your cancer misdiagnosis.
Certificate of Good Faith
Many states – including Tennessee – require a pre-suit affidavit or certificate before a medical malpractice lawsuit can proceed in court.
In Tennessee, it’s known as a Certificate of Good Faith. The Certificate of Good Faith relies on the medical expertise of an independent and qualified health care provider. In cancer misdiagnosis cases, it would be appropriate to complete the Certificate of Good Faith based on an oncologist’s medical opinion.
The Certificate outlines specific ways the expert believes your health care provider was negligent. This serves as a foundation for your lawsuit and demonstrates that the claims are not frivolous.
Understanding Cancer Misdiagnosis
Research suggests that some forms of cancer are misdiagnosed up to 28 percent of the time. Why and how do doctors misdiagnose cancer on such a grand scale?
Some of the most common contributing factors, according to a survey of doctors, include:
- Fragmented or missing information across medical information systems
- Inadequate pathology diagnostic resources
- Inadequate genetic information available at the time of diagnosis
In other words, many doctors believe that cancer misdiagnoses occur due to a lack of tools and resources, as well as problems with recordkeeping and record-sharing.
However, doctors are human and make mistakes. Often, errors are made due to understaffing, resulting in overworked and overtired physicians. Mistakes also occur due to failure to perform a differential diagnosis, failure to identify symptoms during a physical exam, and failure to order necessary tests based on a patient’s symptoms and genetic history.
Compensation and Damages Available to Victims of Cancer Misdiagnosis in Tennessee
The odds of beating cancer are significantly greater when the disease is diagnosed in its early stages.
When cancer is diagnosed in its late stages, a patient may require extensive and painful treatments targeting the cancer cells, including radiation and chemotherapy. Expensive medications may be necessary to supplement these invasive treatments. Regular visits to the doctor’s office can become part of the daily routine.
As such, cancer misdiagnoses can have catastrophic consequences—physically, emotionally, and financially.
Fortunately, monetary compensation can be available to cancer misdiagnosis victims who file medical malpractice lawsuits.
In Tennessee, victims of medical negligence can seek economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages offset the financial costs of cancer misdiagnosis, including:
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Nursing assistance
- Therapy and rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Funeral expenses if a cancer misdiagnosis is ultimately fatal
Non-economic damages help compensate for the trauma and suffering a victim experiences as a result of a cancer misdiagnosis, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Mental anguish
- Inconvenience
- Loss of consortium
Hospitals and negligent health care providers will try to downplay the costs and suffering you experience because your cancer was misdiagnosed. They aim to limit the damages you’re awarded when your cancer misdiagnosis case is resolved.
At NST Law, our Nashville cancer misdiagnosis attorneys will not let these tactics work. We will build a compelling legal claim supported by solid facts, strong evidence, and compelling expert testimony. When it’s time to negotiate, we’ll be ready to force meaningful conversations and leverage a life-changing settlement for you and your family.
Supporting the Victims of Cancer Misdiagnosis
Whether your doctor completely missed your cancer diagnosis or identified your disease improperly, it can have immediate and long-term consequences.
A cancer misdiagnosis can steal years of your life. It can create substantial medical debt and drain your life savings. It can prevent you from living your life to the fullest and spending quality time with loved ones.
You need—and deserve—a strong support system right now.
When you call NST Law for help with your cancer misdiagnosis lawsuit, you’ll put a team of compassionate, trustworthy, successful Tennessee trial attorneys in your corner.
You’ll benefit from the full force of our team’s legal experience and the firm’s considerable resources. We’ll handle all aspects of your cancer misdiagnosis lawsuit, allowing you to focus on your road to recovery.
We can help connect you with local resources for cancer patients and support you at every step along your journey.
Contact our law office to learn more. We offer a free consultation, so call our cancer misdiagnosis attorneys in Nashville, TN, to schedule yours today.
Nashville Cancer Misdiagnosis FAQs
Getting diagnosed with cancer can be scary. Things can feel overwhelming when you learn that your illness should have been diagnosed sooner but wasn’t because your doctor made a mistake. It’s common to have questions about your legal rights and your situation during these trying times. Our Nashville cancer misdiagnosis attorneys have the answers you need.
Research suggests that, of the leading types of cancer, the ones that are misdiagnosed most often include:
- Lung cancer – 22.5 percent
- Melanoma – 13.6 percent
- Colorectal cancer – 9.6 percent
- Breast cancer – 8.9 percent
- Prostate cancer – 2.4 percent
There are more than 200 types of cancer. Each has its own misdiagnosis rate.
Like other types of medical malpractice lawsuits, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to more than two years to resolve a case involving cancer misdiagnosis. Many factors can impact the duration, from the strength of the plaintiff’s evidence to disputes over liability and disagreements about the value of a claim.
Whether or not you hire an attorney can also affect settlement discussions and the time it takes to resolve your case. Putting an experienced and successful Tennessee trial attorney in your corner will make it clear that you’re prepared to go to court. As a result, it can help to force meaningful conversations and accelerate negotiations.
Most cancer misdiagnosis lawsuits do not go to trial. Trials are time-consuming, expensive, and stressful for everyone involved. However, it is always important to be prepared to go to trial if settlement discussions aren’t successful.
When you choose NST Law, you can rest assured that our team will prepare your case as if it will be tried in front of a jury. This will help us engage in more fruitful negotiations and set you up for success if and when your case gets to trial.
Contact us for a free consultation now so that we can review your case and decide how we can best help you.
2323 21st Avenue South
Suite 500
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-235-0766
Fax: 615-257-6797