Claim For Colon Cancer Death Of Twenty-Seven Year Old When Doctor Dismissed Her Reports Of Rectal Bleeding by Joseph Hernandez

Statistically less than one percent people diagnosed with colon cancer are younger than thirty-five. Yet, given the fact that colon cancer can kill doctors generally agree that the presence of rectal bleeding, even in an individual below thirty-five, needs to be followed by a colonoscopy so as to figure out whether the bleeding from a tumor or a different cause. Merely assuming that the blood is caused by hemorrhoids does not meet the standard of care.

Consider what took place in a documented case involving a woman who complained to her family doctor that she saw blood in her stool and experienced pain during bowel movements. The woman was just twenty four. The doctor, justwithout even performing an examination, prescribed a laxative after diagnosing her with diarrhea and other bowel problems. The woman went back after 4 months claiming she had constipation, pain and problems sitting. On this occasion the physician at last examined her and assured her she had hemorrhoids. His treatment: an enema. She went back to the doctor on two additional occassions and each time was reassured that she merely had hemorrhoids and she had nothing to be concerned with.

She needed to be hurried to an emergency room because of extreme pain 7 months following her original trip to her primary care physician. They set her up for a colonoscopy and was found to have advanced colorectal cancer. The cancer was so widespread by the time she had surgery that not only did the surgeon have to remove part of her colon but in addition had to take out her uterus and a section of her lower intestines. The woman then needed chemotherapy. The cancer came back and she died in under three years. She was survived by her husband and daughter, a minor.

The law firm that handled this lawsuit revealed that the case went to trail and the jury returned a verdict of $2,500,000. The sum included the maximum of $350,000 permitted for pain and suffering by the law of the State where the physician practices. The remainder was for future lost wages. This lawsuit shows what could be the most prevalent medical error regarding the delayed diagnosis of colon cancer.

When a situation such as that above happens and the person passes away for the reason that the cancer progressed to where it was no longer curable as a consequence of the delay in diagnosis the surviving family might be able to bring a lawsuit against the physician responsible for the delay.