Pediatric Retinoblastoma Cases

In some cases, children with pediatric retinoblastoma may experience misdiagnosis. As a result, the child may miss a crucial time window during which treatment may have been most effective. For some patients, a proper diagnosis may be made too late. This can lead to loss of an eye or complete blindness. Retinoblastoma misdiagnosis may be inevitable due to certain medical complications. Retinoblastoma misdiagnosis may also be the result of medical negligence. In these instances, the family may be able to file a kids’ retinoblastoma lawsuit against the negligent medical professional.

Pediatric Retinoblastoma Misdiagnosis

Pediatric retinoblastoma misdiagnosis can be devastating for children and families. Pediatric retinoblastoma misdiagnosis can occur as a delayed diagnosis, failure to diagnose, or diagnosis error. During each misdiagnosis instance, the child fails to receive a retinoblastoma diagnosis and proper treatment in a timely manner.

Retinoblastoma Delayed Diagnosis

Delayed diagnosis occurs when a medical professional fails to thoroughly observe and identify the patient’s signs and symptoms of retinoblastoma when they first appear. In kids’ retinoblastoma cases, the lawsuit alleges that the medical professional had the opportunity to identify clear and distinct retinoblastoma symptoms. Despite the opportunity to prove a retinoblastoma diagnosis, the medical professional failed to do so as a result of negligence

Retinoblastoma Failure to Diagnose

Retinoblastoma failure to diagnose occurs when a medical professional completely fails to provide a retinoblastoma patient with a proper diagnosis. In these kids’ retinoblastoma cases, the family typically receives a proper diagnosis from another medical professional. Often, this diagnosis does not occur until the symptoms become so severe that the family seeks the opinion of another medical professional

Retinoblastoma Diagnosis Error

In kids’ retinoblastoma cases, diagnosis error can occur when the child receives an incorrect diagnosis. Retinoblastoma may be diagnosed as another condition, or another condition may be diagnosed as retinoblastoma. If the child receives treatment, it typically does not align with the actual condition.

These scenarios can create additional health issues for the child. In kids’ retinoblastoma cases where retinoblastoma goes untreated, the cancer may grow to an untreatable stage. In kids’ retinoblastoma cases where the child undergoes unnecessary cancer treatment such as chemotherapy, side effects may be debilitating.

Kids’ Retinoblastoma Lawsuit

Families who feel that their child may be the victim of misdiagnosis from negligence may be able to file a pediatric retinoblastoma lawsuit. When a family makes this decision, they should immediately speak with an experienced pediatric retinoblastoma lawyer. A pediatric retinoblastoma attorney can help discuss the facts of each kids’ retinoblastoma case to determine if the family has grounds to file a legitimate lawsuit.

The pediatric retinoblastoma lawyer can help:

  • Gather necessary information, documentation, and evidence for the case
  • Determine relevant laws and requirements for the state in which the case is filed
  • Perform necessary legal and medical research to support the case
  • Conduct interviews of witnesses and expert medical witnesses for presentation in court
  • Negotiate with the defendant and insurance companies to seek the highest compensation

Sources:

Anderson, Michael J., Elai Davicioni, and Daniel H. Wai. “Diagnostic and prognostic sarcoma signatures.” Molecular Diagnosis & Therapy 12.6 (2008): 359+. Academic OneFile. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.

Brasme, Jean-François, et al. “Delays in Diagnosis of Paediatric Cancers: A Systematic Review and Comparison with Expert Testimony in Lawsuits.” Lancet Oncology 13.10 (2012): e445-59. ProQuest. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.

Esmaeli, Bita, and Kaan Gunduz. “Ocular oncology: diagnosis and management of malignant intraocular tumors.” Expert Review of Ophthalmology 1.2 (2006): 195+. Academic OneFile. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.