Colon / Rectal Cancer

Colon / Rectal Cancer is a broad term for cancers that affect the colon and rectum. When Colon / Rectal Cancer is malignant, it may spread and damage other parts of the body. If you believe that you have a cancer claim, you should discuss your situation with a knowledgeable medical malpractice attorney. Medical malpractice claims involving cancer can be complicated. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano, our Upstate New York Colon / Rectal Cancer lawyers have the knowledge and experience necessary to pursue remedies for your health care provider’s failure to diagnose or treat Colon / Rectal Cancer properly.

Colon / Rectal Cancer symptoms include fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, changes in bowel habits, blood in feces, pain and bloating, bowel not emptying properly after a bowel movement, inexplicable weight loss, lumps in the abdomen or anus, and inexplicable iron deficiency. However, these symptoms can also be indicative of other conditions. Your doctor may conduct a differential diagnosis, in which they list Colon / Rectal Cancer along with other potential medical conditions that could result in your symptoms. Each potential diagnosis in a differential diagnosis should be tested or subjected to inquiry and eliminated when appropriate.

In some cases, medical malpractice occurs because of a failure to adequately test Colon / Rectal Cancer as a potential diagnosis. In other cases, medical malpractice exists because an accurate diagnosis is made, but test results are not communicated to the patient or no treatment is given, or improper treatment is provided. Your prognosis for Colon / Rectal Cancer can be affected by your general state of health, the stage at which a diagnosis was made, and whether cancer generated a hole in your colon. Colon / Rectal Cancer can recur after surgery, and it is important for your doctor to follow up.

Not every mistake related to Colon / Rectal Cancer constitutes medical malpractice. To show that what happened to you was medical malpractice, a Colon / Rectal Cancer attorney in Upstate New York will need to show that you were owed a professional standard of care, but there was a departure from the professional standard of care, which caused your damages. The professional standard of care is governed by the locality rule in New York. The professional standard of care depends on what a doctor in the same specialty and geographic region would have done under the same circumstances. We will need to retain an expert even before filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Treatment depends on multiple factors, including where the cancer is located and its stage, and whether it has recurred. It can be treated by surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Surgery is the most common treatment for Colon / Rectal Cancer. Surgeons remove malignant tumors and nearby lymph nodes; in some cases, the rectum needs to be removed completely. Sometimes chemotherapy is also used before surgery to shrink a tumor. Medical care can be expensive, which makes it important to retain an Upstate New York Colon / Rectal Cancer attorney who can maximize your compensation. When a mistake is made in diagnosing or treating Colon / Rectal Cancer, more expensive care may be needed down the road. For instance, when diagnosed and treated early enough, it may be possible for a patient to preserve their rectum, but if Colon / Rectal Cancer progresses and spreads, it may be necessary to remove it altogether and place a colostomy bag.

Economic and non-economic damages that you may be able to recover if we can establish liability include medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, replacement services, and out-of-pocket expenses.

Colon / Rectal Cancer can have a devastating impact on a life, particularly if it goes uncaught and untreated. You can hold a health care provider accountable if they failed to act within the professional standard of care regarding your Colon / Rectal Cancer. If you were harmed because of a doctor’s failure to diagnose or treat your Colon / Rectal Cancer, you may be able to recover damages by filing a lawsuit. Medical malpractice lawsuits can be challenging. You should retain the seasoned Colon / Rectal Cancer lawyers at the Upstate New York firm of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano. We represent injured patients in Syracuse, Rochester, Lyons, Oswego, Cooperstown, Oneida, Auburn, Binghamton, Wampsville, Canandaigua, Ithaca, Watertown, Elmira, Utica, Herkimer, and Lowville. Call us at 833-200-2000 or complete our online form.