Warning Signs of Cervical Cancer in Florida

Detecting cervical cancer early affords more treatment options to a patient, and the outcome could be better, as well. Early detection of cervical cancer takes teamwork between a patient and their doctor. Patients should be open and honest about any symptoms they are experiencing, and physicians need to use appropriate screening tools and thoroughly evaluate risk factors.

Doctors who ignore the warning signs of cervical cancer in Florida patients or fails to offer them diagnostic testing could be held liable in a civil claim with the help of a diligent attorney. Reach out to a seasoned cervical cancer malpractice attorney today. En Español.

Indicators of Cervical Cancer

Patients are their own advocates in catching the early signs of cervical cancer. Women should look for the following symptoms and discuss them with their physician as soon as possible:

• Light bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods
• Changes in menstrual bleeding
• Bleeding after menopause
• Changes in vaginal discharge
• Pain or discomfort during sexual intercourse
• Bleeding during or after sex, or after a pelvic exam
• Pelvic or unexplained back pain

A doctor who receives a report of any of these symptoms from a patient has a duty to investigate further. A responsible medical care provider may ask questions, take a thorough history, and perform tests such as a pap smear. Otherwise, ignoring warning signs of cervical cancer in Florida patients could form the basis of a successful claim for damages.

Early Detection Testing

If left undetected and untreated, cervical cancer could become a silent killer, as many women do not exhibit symptoms. For this reason, teamwork between medical care providers is important for detecting warning signs of cervical cancer in Florida patients. Physicians have a legal duty to provide standardized medical care to all patients and should, therefore, offer PAP smears to check for cervical cell changes that could lead to cancer, even for those who do not have telling symptoms.

A doctor who fails to offer such testing and explain its benefits to a patient could be held liable for breaching their duty of care. They could miss warning signs and subsequently put the patient at risk for more health problems.

Assigning Fault for Medical Negligence

While it may seem straightforward to assign blame to a negligent doctor for failing to respond to warning signs of cervical cancer, a medical care provider may allege that a patient is partially responsible for their injuries. For example, they may claim that a patient was not honest while discussing their symptoms and thereby contributed to their own damages.

A jury in a medical negligence suit would assign all involved parties with varying degrees of fault to decide who will pay what amounts to compensate the damages in question. Fortunately, Florida Statutes §768.81 allows a plaintiff to recover damages even if they are assigned 99 percent liability for their injuries. However, their compensatory award would be reduced proportionately to their assigned percentage of the blame.

Ask an Attorney about the Failure to Detect Warning Signs of Cervical Cancer in Florida

When the warning signs of cervical cancer in Florida patients are not detected or addressed by a doctor, there is a risk for developing cancer of the uterus and ovaries as well as other health complications. If your physician neglected to detect your cancer despite their ability to do so, you may be able to pursue monetary damages from them. Learn more about your legal rights by calling our team today.