Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be frightening and life-changing.  But what happens when the correct diagnosis is missed or delayed?  As many as 12% of the nearly 1.5 million cancer cases each year are missed by doctors.  That’s an estimated 180,000 people annually.  It’s no wonder there are a steady number of cancer misdiagnosis lawsuits filed each year.

Sometimes the disease is diagnosed as another condition altogether, other times it is missed entirely.  There are even cases in which a doctor incorrectly diagnoses a patient with cancer when they are not actually suffering from the disease.  In any of these situations, the impact can be nothing short of catastrophic.

Cancer misdiagnosis can occur in any number of ways, including:

• The doctor failed to recognize the signs and symptoms of the disease
• The doctor failed to refer the patient to the appropriate specialist
• The doctor or specialist failed to order the proper tests
• The doctor did not properly biopsy the area in question
• The doctor or specialist failed to correctly interpret test results

The outcome of a cancer misdiagnosis can be anywhere from dangerous to life-threatening.  If a patient’s cancer is misdiagnosed as something different, or missed altogether, the delay in required treatment can mean further progression of the disease and even a shortening of the patient’s lifespan.  In cases where a patient is wrongly diagnosed with having cancer, they may be subjected to dangerous and unnecessary treatments or surgery, which can cause them further illness and harm.

People who have been a victim of cancer misdiagnosis, whatever the reason, may have the right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor or specialist responsible for the error.  Medical attorneys who represent these victims typically seek monetary damages for things such as medical expenses, lost wages, permanent disability or disfigurement, and pain and suffering.

A federal judge has signed a decree settling the civil case against more than a dozen companies over vinyl chloride contamination at the Wauconda Sand and Gravel landfill site outside of Chicago. The judgment requires the site to be monitored for the next 15 years, but not everyone is satisfied with this outcome.

The landfill site was closed by the state in 1978 and decades later in 2003, the Lake County Health Department discovered vinyl chloride levels that exceeded regulatory limits in three private wells. The Environmental Protection Agency later found a fourth well in the area that also exceeded federal limits.

In 2004, approximately 400 homes in Wauconda area were connected to the municipal water supply to eliminate the threat of water contamination. However, several dozen homes that should have been connected to the municipal supply have been “orphaned,” according to a Lake County board member.

Vinyl chloride is a toxic chemical known to cause cancer, particularly of the liver. No illnesses have yet been reported by residents in the district. Any resident who develops cancer should consult with an attorney to learn more about their legal options.

Recent reports have revealed that trucking company workers who are being continuously exposed to diesel exhaust are at high risk of developing various forms of cancer. Benzene, a toxic chemical and known carcinogen, is a commonly used additive in gasoline and for those who spend their day to day lives being exposed to these fumes; the chances of developing cancer are higher.
A national study was recently done regarding truckers and the high risk of cancer and it reportedly found that workers who are exposed to exhaust from vehicles on the highways, city streets and loading docks are at higher risk of developing lung cancer than other workers.
Study Exposes Risk of Cancer
The study, which was analyzed 31,135 worker records, discovered that drivers, who do short-haul pickups and deliveries, including the loading and unloading at ports, had a noticeable increase in the rate of deaths and disease. Dockworkers were also found to have a higher risk, say researchers from UC Berkeley and Harvard who conducted the study.
After results from the study were made public, California’s Air Resources Board decided they were going to me to further discuss the study and its findings. During this meeting, they will be voting on a landmark regulation that aims to reduce the overall risk to the of benzene exposure to the general public from the nearly 1 million diesel trucks that exist in the state.
If this new rule is adopted by state lawmakers, California will be the very first state in the nation to require a replacement of every privately owned, diesel truck that’s now on the road. The law will also hold true for vehicles that are registered in other states and nations.
“This study confirms that truck drivers exposed to diesel have higher lung cancer rates,” explains Dr. John Balmes, who is a professor at UCSF and UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health.