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Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes
- Malpractice Reform Would Save Little Money, Harm Patients Already Injured
- Surgical Mistake Reportedly Led to Rep. Murtha’s Death
- Prescription Drug Dispensing Error Costs Rite Aid $2.5 Million
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Firm News
- New Hospital Plans to Decrease Number of Beds, Will Quality Improve?
Posted on 3/6/2010 - Use of "safe-surgery checklist" could reduce medical mistakes
Posted on 2/4/2010 - Virginia (VA) Jury Awards $7.5 Million in Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer Case
Posted on 6/5/2009 - West Virginia Family Files Medical Malpractice Suit For Woman’s High Blood Pressure Death
Posted on 4/17/2009 - Virginia Pilot Demands That Dangerous Doctors Be Disciplined
Posted on 4/1/2009
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Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes
Medical Malpractice Connected to Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer
As a practicing personal injury attorney of 20 years, I know firsthand that our Virginia Beach law firm receives calls regarding misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose breast cancer. When dealing with breast cancer, it is critical that doctors catch these developing lesions early. Unfortunately, when doctors fail to diagnose aggressive breast cancer, it can then spread rapidly to surrounding areas such as the lymph nodes or it can metastasize to other areas of the body, thereby reducing the patient’s chances of survival. Many times this occurs when the radiologist reading the film or digital mammogram misses key indicators of cancer. Often, after such a mistake is made, the patient is sent home and by the time the patient has another mammogram the cancer has spread.
Time is a critical issue in breast cancer cases because the longer a cancer is allowed to persist, the more dangerous it can become for the patient. When breast cancer is diagnosed late, patients may end up losing more breast tissue than they otherwise would have if the cancer had been diagnosed earlier.
A common indicator of breast cancer can be seen on mammograms or ultrasound images as dark shadowed masses with sharp edges which radiologists call spiculated masses. Calcium deposits called microcalcifications can sometimes be indicative of breast cancer as well, especially when they occur in clusters or close formations. Blood flow which radiologists call vascularity can sometimes appear on ultrasound images using 3-D Doppler and has been associated with malignant lesions also.
In large hospitals, radiologists are often overworked and fatigued. Many times these doctors are forced to juggle several cases at once and can easily become distracted by multitasking. Unfortunately, these issues with the medical system are global and not just limited to local states such as Virginia (VA) and North Carolina (NC). However, with the many technological advances in breast cancer screening and diagnosis available today, it is inexcusable when patients must pay the price for negligence.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.
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Our Injury Lawyers Have Been Selected For Many Achievements Outlined Below:
Several Injury Attorneys With Our Firm have been Named As Virginia "Super Lawyers" For Personal Injury Law (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009 Ed.)(Less than 5% of Outstanding Lawyers are Chosen); also selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009); named among the Top 100 Lawyers in Virginia by ATLA (Shapiro - 2009), and our law firm was the first Injury Law Firm in Virginia Invited to Join Primerus, a select group of Highly Ethical, Respected Law Firms .
In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained, what was then, the largest record verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person (46 Million Dollar Verdict, with Interest, 60 Million Dollars, Settled confidentially during appeal). Click on any icon for more details.
Geographical Areas:
Our personal injury lawyers handle personal injury cases throughout the eastern USA, and work closely with lawyers in other states on signficant injury cases.
As to Virginia (VA), this includes: Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Richmond (entire area), Petersburg, Roanoke/Salem, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, all areas of the Eastern Shore, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteauge, Wachapreague, and Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague, and Wallops Island, Ashland, Big Stone Gap and any other city/ounty.
As to West Virginia (WV) personal injury claims: Bluefield, Beckley, Bridgeport, Charles Town, Charleston, Fairmont, Huntington, Lewisburg, Madison, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Moundsville, Parkersburg, Ripley, Sutton, Weirton, Wheeling, and any other town or county.
Injury Lawyers licensed in VA, WV, NC, SC, KY & Wash., DC.
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Hampton, Virginia 23669
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Case Results
DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT, AND THE VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS MENTIONED ON THIS WEBSITE, WHILE ACCURATE, DO NOT REPRESENT WHAT WE MAY OBTAIN FOR YOU IN YOUR CASE.
Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes
- Retained Surgical Sponge and Subsequent Complications
- Failed Back Surgery
- Failure to Diagnose/ER Doctor/vascular incident (aortic aneurysim)
- Gastric Bypass (stomach stapling) Surgery complications
- Gallbladder Surgery Error
Awarded: $425,000.00 Settlement
Awarded: The case was settled before the trial for 1.25 million dollars.
Awarded: $700,000.00
Awarded: $550,000.00 settlement during mediation.
Awarded: $425,000
FAQs
Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes
- A family member died in a nursing home, and after talking with members of the staff, it sounds like they died due to nursing home neglect. Should I get a lawyer?
- I have a feeling something is wrong at my family member's nursing home. What should I do if I suspect nursing home abuse or neglect?
- A family member died in a nursing home, and after talking with members of the staff, it sounds like they died due to nursing home neglect. Should I get a lawyer?
What is the Virginia (VA) statute of limitations for personal injury in a medical malpractice case?