Cancer Misdiagnosis claims in Pennsylvania
A delayed cancer diagnosis can change a treatable condition into an advanced one. These claims focus on whether reasonable steps were taken when the warning signs appeared.
The central questions are what the records showed, what testing was indicated, and what difference an earlier diagnosis would have made.
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Munley Law has represented injured people and their families from its Scranton base since 1959. The attorneys listed below handle this type of case, and the results shown are published matters the firm has reported.
$5 Million
Settlement
Settlement for medical malpractice case.
$4.35 Million
Settlement
Medical malpractice settlement.
$3.5 Million
Settlement
Settlement for medical malpractice case.
$3.2 Million
Settlement
Settlement for medical malpractice case.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
“She and everyone I came into contact with in her firm handled my case with the utmost professionalism, as well as true empathy for my situation, while not missing a detail about the facts of the case… She is a great person and an awesome attorney! She will fight for you!”
How diagnoses are missed
Imaging misread
Findings visible on a scan that were not reported or followed up.
Failure to order indicated testing
Symptoms or risk factors that called for further workup.
Lost or unreported results
Abnormal results never communicated to the patient.
Pathology errors
Specimens mislabeled, misread or inadequately sampled.
Failure to refer
Not sending the patient to a specialist when indicated.
Injuries frequently seen in these cases
- Progression to a later stage of disease
- More aggressive treatment than would otherwise have been needed
- Reduced treatment options
- Shortened life expectancy
- Death
Who may be responsible
Responsibility depends entirely on the facts, and no one can determine it from a web page. These are the parties whose conduct is typically examined.
The primary care physician
Follow-up of symptoms, results and referrals.
The radiologist or pathologist
Interpretation and reporting of studies and specimens.
The hospital or laboratory
Systems for communicating results and tracking follow-up.
Damages that may be recoverable
What a claim may include depends on the injuries, the available insurance and the evidence. Nothing here is a prediction of value.
- Medical treatment already received, from the emergency room through rehabilitation
- Future medical care and therapy a physician expects will be needed
- Wages lost while unable to work, and reduced earning capacity in longer-term cases
- Property damage, out-of-pocket costs and travel to treatment
- Pain, suffering and loss of life's pleasures where the law allows it
Steps that protect a claim
- Get medical attention, even if the injuries seem minor at first
- Report what happened and ask how to obtain a copy of the official report
- Photograph the scene, the vehicles or the hazard, and your visible injuries
- Collect names and phone numbers for anyone who saw what happened
- Keep every bill, record and piece of correspondence in one place
- Be careful giving a recorded statement before you understand your own injuries
Frequently asked questions
How is harm measured when someone already had cancer?
The comparison is between the likely outcome with a timely diagnosis and the outcome that followed the delay. Oncology experts address that difference.
When does the filing deadline start?
Pennsylvania's discovery rule can start the two-year period when the patient knew or should reasonably have known of the injury and its cause, subject to the seven-year statute of repose.
Can a family bring a claim after a death?
Yes. Wrongful death and survival claims may be available through the estate, with their own deadlines.
Question not answered here? Ask Robert — Munley's virtual intake assistant answers common cancer misdiagnosis questions 24/7.
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This page is general information about this type of case. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Last reviewed 2026-09-01.
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