Mississippi Medical Malpractice Attorneys Discuss Misdiagnosis of Cancer Patients

Former Jacksonville basketball legend Rex Morgan recently died of oral cancer. His widow has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against his doctor and against Quest Diagnostics, alleging that they failed to identify the cancer before it was too late for it to be treated. It is her hope that this lawsuit will generate awareness of misdiagnosis in cancer patients, so that other families might be spared the tragic and untimely loss of a loved one from a disease that, if detected and treated early enough and thoroughly enough, could possibly be successfully treated.

Morgan had been diagnosed with tonsil cancer in 2010, and he underwent treatment for it. In 2011, an employee of Quest Diagnostics conducted a biopsy of his tongue and told him that the biopsy showed no signs of cancer. Based upon that information, Morgan believed that his initial treatment had been successful. Two years later, another biopsy showed cancer in Morgan’s tongue. At that time, he asked another doctor to examine the samples that had been taken during the 2011 biopsy. According to that doctor, the samples from the 2011 biopsy had contained cancer.

Unfortunately, Rex Morgan lost valuable time when he stopped cancer treatment after being told in 2011 that he did not have cancer. As soon as he became aware that he still had cancer, he began intensive treatment. By the time Rex Morgan started treatment again, the disease had developed past the point where treatment could have been successful. He died at the age of sixty seven.

When medical professionals misinterpret diagnostic tests like a biopsy and then misinform patients about the status of their health based upon their incorrect analysis, the consequences can be serious and even fatal. Cancer is an aggressive disease, and a patient’s chance of survival depends largely upon early detection and prompt treatment. Whether a misdiagnosis occurs before a patient becomes aware that they have cancer or a misdiagnosis of being cancer -free occurs after undergoing treatment for cancer, the end result is often a delay in treatment or a disruption in treatment that can reduce or eliminate the patient’s chance at successful treatment of the disease. While medical malpractice lawsuits for incorrect diagnoses or missed diagnoses can occur for all kinds of illnesses, those that are associated with cancer often involve patients who ultimately die as the result of the mistakes that were made.

Giddens Law Firm, P.A.: Supporting Mississippi Medical Malpractice Plaintiffs

Missed diagnoses are an all too common cause of medical malpractice lawsuits. If you have been injured or someone that you love has died as the result of a missed diagnosis, you may have a claim for medical malpractice against one or more of the medical professionals who were involved in the missed diagnosis. A successful medical malpractice lawsuit could help you to focus on pursuing what treatment you can for yourself or on healing from the loss of your loved one. If you have questions about medical malpractice, the Mississippi Medical Malpractice Attorneys at the Giddens Law Firm, P.A. may be able to help you.  Please call our office today, at (601) 355-2022.