February 8, 2019
The Weitz Firm, LLC

We want to share the story of a war veteran who is now taking his case to Capitol Hill to fight for changes in the military legal system. Sergeant First Class Rich Stayskal was in the military for more than a decade, much of the time spent in special forces as a Green Beret. He is a true hero, having been shot while fighting in Iraq. Unfortunately, he is now fighting an even tougher battle – one against cancer.

Stayskal says that his chances for survival have been lowered because his military doctors did not properly diagnose him. We want to get into his claims in a moment, but we should point out that cases of cancer misdiagnosis are not uncommon and usually cause severe harm to the patient. If you need a failure to diagnose and treat cancer attorney in Philadelphia, you can count on The Weitz Firm, LLC to be by your side.

A Major Problem

Sergeant Stayskal says that his military doctors completely missed his cancer even though it was clearly visible on a scan he had in January 2017. He says they then failed to inform him four months later when he was coughing up blood and passing out. By the time he was seen in June of 2017, by a civilian pulmonologist, the cancer had spread. He says it is not in his neck, spine, lymph nodes, liver, spleen, and hip.

Not all cancers are the same and they all present differently. Sometimes, they remain undetectable until they have spread, but that does not seem to be the case here. The worst part about this is that Stayskal is not currently able to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit against his doctors because of an outdated law that prevents service members from suing the government for anything. That is what he is trying to change in his meetings with lawmakers.

Cancer is the number two killer in the country, claiming more than 600,000 lives annually. The World Health Organization says that “Diagnosing cancer in the late stages, and the inability to provide treatment, condemns many people to unnecessary suffering and early death.”

Johns Hopkins researchers have shown that diagnostic errors happen often and are the leading cause of severe patient harm. When it comes to cancer, a delayed diagnosis can completely change a person’s ability to recover. Late diagnosis can mean a person has to go through harsher treatments. It can also be a death sentence.

How You Can Move Forward

If you or a loved one are suffering because of a missed cancer diagnosis, you may need to seek legal assistance. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we want to help. We understand that this kind of misdiagnosis, or a failure to diagnose, can lead to irreparable harm and even death. That is why we want to help you recover the compensation you deserve. This can include:

  • Coverage of medical bills related to the diagnosis
  • Pain and suffering damages
  • Punitive damages
  • And more

When you need a Philadelphia failure to diagnose and treat cancer attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.

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