Widower seeks $300,000 in wrongful death lawsuit

No one deserves to get cancer; but everyone deserves a chance to fight the deadly disease when it invades their body. Unfortunately, not everyone gets that opportunity. While the exact survival statistics vary greatly based on what type of cancer a person has, one thing is constant: the sooner cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances of survival. A doctor’s delayed diagnosis or failure to diagnose cancer is essentially a death sentence.

An Illinois mother of three who died from lung cancer in early 2012 was denied the opportunity to fight the disease because medical professionals failed to diagnose her condition, her husband alleges. He claims that medical professionals did not read the images of the woman’s chest correctly and she died as a result. He has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on her behalf, seeking damages over $300,000 for the family’s emotional distress and suffering. The hospital and radiology practice as well as specific doctors are named in the suit for their negligence.

While no amount of compensation can make up for the loss of a loved one, it can help with unexpected expenses or loss of income caused by the death. Taking legal action is also about holding the negligent party responsible for their actions and possibly preventing other unnecessary deaths. Immediate family members—spouses, children and parents—of the decedent may want to speak with an attorney regarding the merits of a medical malpractice or wrongful death suit. Under certain circumstances, extended family members may also file claim in Pennsylvania courts. 

Source: Madison-St. Clair Record, “Med mal complaint alleges doctors failed to diagnose lung cancer,” Kelly Holleran, Nov. 11, 2013.