Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyers in New Jersey

Woman thinks about her cancer diagnosis.

When a cancer diagnosis is accurate, it enables patients and their families to quickly begin treatment and make important decisions about the future. However, when a cancer diagnosis is incorrect, delayed, or completely overlooked, the consequences can be devastating.

At Sarno da Costa D’Aniello Maceri Webb LLC, our medical malpractice attorneys handle all types of cancer misdiagnosis cases and provide compassionate, tenacious legal support you can trust. Led by Paul M. da Costa, our cancer misdiagnosis lawyers help patients and their families in New Jersey find the compensation and justice they need and deserve and have recovered substantial settlements and verdicts for victims of medical malpractice.

Understanding Cancer Misdiagnosis

Patients count on doctors, hospitals, and diagnostic centers to identify cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages. When healthcare providers fail to meet the established standard of care and cancer is misdiagnosed, patients can lose valuable treatment time, miss the chance for early intervention, need more aggressive therapies, or even suffer a shortened life expectancy.

Types of cancer misdiagnosis include:

Failure to diagnose cancer altogether – Failing to detect or diagnose cancer can have tragic results for patients and their families.
Diagnosing the wrong type of cancer – This can lead to inappropriate, ineffective treatment, which can harm a patient’s health.
Delayed diagnosis – Time is of the essence when it comes to cancer treatment. Early detection can mean the difference between a treatable condition and an advanced, life-threatening illness.

Types of Cancer That Are Commonly Misdiagnosed

Although any form of cancer can be misdiagnosed, certain types are overlooked or mistaken for other conditions more often, including:

Breast cancer
Lung cancer
Colon cancer
Prostate cancer
Ovarian cancer
Skin cancer
Lymphoma

Our medical malpractice attorneys are well-versed in how and why these cancers may be misdiagnosed. Paul and his team know how to analyze complex medical information and present it in a way that proves the standard of care was breached.

Reasons for Cancer Misdiagnosis

Cancer misdiagnosis may be caused by one mistake or systemic failures, such as:

Failing to obtain a full medical history – Overlooking known risk factors or family history can result in cancer going undetected.
Not ordering proper diagnostic tests – Screenings and other diagnostic tools, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, CT scans, MRIs, biopsies, and blood work, can identify cancer at very early stages.
Misreading test results – When radiologists and pathologists fail to recognize abnormalities in lab findings or imaging studies, cancer may go undetected.
Not following up – Failing to communicate abnormal test results to a patient can significantly delay cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Dismissing of patient concerns – When medical providers don’t take a patient’s concerns or symptoms seriously, they may overlook early signs of cancer, and the results can be tragic.
Understaffed medical facilities – Poor staffing practices may result in rushed examinations and careless mistakes.

When misdiagnosis errors occur, patients often suffer when a doctor failed to act on warning signs, leading to delayed treatment, deteriorating health, and avoidable physical and emotional suffering. Our cancer misdiagnosis attorneys are dedicated to holding negligent medical professionals accountable.

The Impact of Cancer Misdiagnoses on Victims and Their Families

The consequences of a cancer misdiagnosis are far reaching and have profound effects on victims and their families; for example, breast cancer has a 100% five-year survival rate when diagnosed early, but Stage IV breast cancer has a five-year survival rate of only 20%, and a delay can limit treatment options and require more aggressive treatment. Advanced disease progression, diminished quality of life, physical pain, emotional distress, and financial strain can all place an enormous burden on cancer patients and their loved ones who have suffered harm. Losing a family member due to cancer misdiagnosis can also have a devastating impact.

Why You Need an Experienced Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyer

Medical malpractice cases involving cancer misdiagnosis are extremely complex. They require a deep understanding of medicine and the law. Our experienced medical malpractice lawyers know how to thoroughly investigate your case and build the evidence needed for a medical negligence claim. Our medical malpractice lawyers work closely with medical experts such as oncologists, radiologists, and other specialists to help prove negligence in cancer misdiagnosis cases. New Jersey law generally requires an Affidavit of Merit from a qualified medical expert in medical malpractice cases. That sworn statement must confirm the defendant’s care fell below the accepted standard.

Proper Claim Valuation

We also carefully calculate the value of your claim to help you recover damages and pursue maximum compensation that covers the full scope of your losses. This may include medical expenses, future care needs, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical harm, loss of consortium, or wrongful death damages in cases where someone’s life is lost.

Dealing with Insurance Companies

Standing up to large healthcare systems and their insurance companies while pursuing compensation can be daunting. Our cancer misdiagnosis lawyers are well-versed in the tactics they employ and won’t back down in our pursuit of justice and accountability.

We negotiate aggressively on your behalf and if a fair settlement can’t be reached, we’ll take your case to trial. Paul and other medical malpractice attorneys on our team are certified civil trial attorneys recognized by the New Jersey Supreme Court who know how to meticulously prepare and present compelling evidence and arguments that resonate with judges and juries.

Why Choose Our Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyers?

The best cancer misdiagnosis attorneys do much more than build strong cases for clients. We also provide compassionate support and guide families through challenging times. We take the burden of dealing with insurance companies off your shoulders, ensure your voice is heard, and offer peace of mind, knowing that you’re not facing this battle alone.

Paul and members of his team are experienced attorneys who have been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® as Tier 1 Personal Injury – Plaintiffs and Tier 1 Medical Malpractice – Plaintiffs law firm in New Jersey for 2022 and 2024. This highly respected peer-review publication named Paul Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Medical Malpractice – Plaintiffs for 2025.

The National Law Journal selected Paul and his Medical Malpractice team as recipients of its prestigious 2022 Elite Trial Lawyers Awards in the medical malpractice category. In 2022, Paul was a finalist for New Jersey Law Journal Attorney of the Year.

In 2023, he was selected for the National Law Journal Trailblazers Plaintiff Lawyers. In 2024, he was included on the NJBIZ Law Power 50 list, which recognizes the most influential men and women leading New Jersey’s legal profession. Paul was also chosen for the New Jersey Super Lawyers top 100 list from 2020-2024

Sarno da Costa D’Aniello Maceri Webb LLC was selected by their peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms Regional Tier 1 – New Jersey, in the areas of:

Contact a Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorney Near You in New Jersey

At Sarno da Costa D’Aniello Maceri Webb LLC, we know that a cancer misdiagnosis can turn your life upside down. If you or a loved one has been a victim of medical negligence, Contact us or call 973-609-5269 for a free, no-obligation consultation with Paul M. da Costa today. Our New Jersey cancer misdiagnosis lawyers offer several convenient locations near you in Roseland, Bridgewater, Hackensack, Morristown, and Eatontown, and represent clients across the state in New Jersey cancer misdiagnosis cases.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cancer Misdiagnosis

How Do I Know if I Have a Cancer Misdiagnosis Case?

If you believe a healthcare provider’s negligence caused a delay in diagnosis or you underwent inappropriate treatment that harmed your health, an experienced cancer misdiagnosis lawyer can evaluate your case and determine whether you have a viable claim. An experienced cancer misdiagnosis lawyer can review your medical records to determine whether there was a delay in reaching the correct diagnosis, whether that affected your access to proper treatment, and whether the provider’s conduct caused your injury.

How Long Do I Have to File a Medical Malpractice Claim in New Jersey?

Generally, the statute of limitations for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in New Jersey is two years. However, there are exceptions and strict requirements for filing a claim, so it’s vital to speak with a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible.

How Much Does a Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyer Cost?

Our medical malpractice lawyers take cases of a contingency fee basis. This means your cancer misdiagnosis lawyer gets paid only if we win your case. Our fee is taken as a percentage of any settlement or award you receive.