A Quest Diagnostics Pap smear lawsuit may be an option for women whose test results were mistakenly cleared and diagnosed later with cervical cancer. After an audit of Pap smear tests performed in Ireland, 209 cases of cervical cancer and pre-cancerous cells were discovered although they had been originally reported as normal.
If the potential for harm was not adequately communicated to the patient, or if the harm occurred as a result of negligence on the part of the doctor or other healthcare provider, then the patient and their family may be eligible to pursue compensation with the help of a medical malpractice attorney.
If you or a loved one suffered complications related to a misdiagnosed Pap smear, including cervical cancer, contact Attorney Group for more information about your options. We offer free, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is a Pap Smear?
A Pap smear (or Papanicolaou test) is a medical procedure to test for cervical cancer in women. During the procedure, a doctor or health professional will collect cells from the cervix and examine them to detect any abnormalities that indicate cancer or cellular changes that suggest cancer might develop in the future. Women typically start getting Pap smears regularly at 21 years of age.
Pap smear tests have been effectively used to detect cervical cancer and pre-cancerous cellular changes when included as part of a regular screening and follow-up program. According to researchers, deaths related to cervical cancer can be reduced by up to 80 percent. Failure to prevent the detection of cervical cancer may occur for a number of reasons including a lack of regular screening, failure to adequately follow-up, and misinterpretation or errors in sampling.
Quest Diagnostics Pap Smear Misdiagnosis
Quest Diagnostics is an American clinical laboratory headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, with operations in India, Ireland and Mexico. The company offers diagnostics testing services for cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease and neurological disorders and collaborates with a variety of diagnostics laboratories, hospitals and clinics throughout the world.
For more than a decade, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, Texas-based Clinical Pathology Laboratories and CervicalCheck (a screening program for women in Ireland) handled Pap smear tests for Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE). CBS reported in June 2018 that the labs “mistakenly cleared” over 200 women in Ireland who were diagnosed with cervical cancer. Eighteen women have reportedly died since 2014 when a government audit discovered the misdiagnoses.
Quest Diagnostics Pap Smear Lawsuit Settlements
In June 2018, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated reached a $8.76 million (7.5 million euro) settlement with a woman in Ireland who claimed the company incorrectly cleared her of cervical cancer after misreading two Pap smear tests in 2010 and 2013. According to reports by The Irish Times, Emma Mhic Mhathuna was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016 and filed a lawsuit against Quest Diagnostics Incorporated and CervicalCheck.
How a Quest Diagnostics Pap Smear Lawsuit Attorney Can Help
Failure to diagnose/misdiagnosis is a form of medical malpractice that occurs when a doctor or health professional fails to diagnose a patient properly and results in a wrong diagnosis and/or a treatment plan that leads to the deterioration of a patient’s health or the development of some other type of injury or harm.
Because medical malpractice laws are complex, people who suspect negligence on the part of a medical professional are encouraged to seek the counsel of a medical malpractice attorney to learn their options.
When negligence results in injury, an injured party suffers loss in various ways. The law allows an injured party to pursue damages to recover those losses. Common types of damages recoverable in a medical malpractice case include:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those who have died may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have.
There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
