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Your Kendall doctor missed cancer signs that matter
When doctors dismiss symptoms or skip necessary tests, cancer spreads unchecked through your body. You reported concerning symptoms to your Kendall physician. They told you not to worry. Months later, advanced cancer requires aggressive treatment that early detection would have prevented. This isn’t just unfortunate timing, it’s medical malpractice that transforms curable disease into life-threatening illness.
Jorge L. Flores fights for families whose doctors failed to order mammograms, colonoscopies, or biopsies when warning signs appeared. We’ve secured significant settlements for Kendall residents harmed by diagnostic delays at Baptist Health, HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, and local medical practices. You deserve answers and compensation. Call (305) 528-2221 today.
Cancer misdiagnosis changes everything in South Florida
Six months can transform Stage I breast cancer requiring simple surgery into Stage III disease demanding mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. Your five year survival drops from 99% to 72%. Treatment costs explode from $40,000 to $250,000. You lose months of work, endure devastating side effects, and face shortened life expectancy.
Research shows each four week delay increases mortality by 13%. Kendall families discover too late that persistent cough wasn’t bronchitis, rectal bleeding wasn’t hemorrhoids, and that suspicious lump deserved immediate biopsy. Early detection saves lives. Late diagnosis steals futures. The Law Offices of Jorge L. Flores fights to hold negligent doctors accountable.
What qualifies as cancer malpractice under Florida law
Cancer malpractice happens when healthcare providers breach the standard of care in detecting or treating cancer. Florida Statutes Section 766.102 requires proving four elements: doctor-patient relationship existed, provider breached professional standards, this breach directly caused injury, and you suffered actual damages.
Common negligence includes dismissing symptoms as benign conditions, failing to order screening tests, ignoring abnormal results, and misreading pathology slides. When your doctor attributes rectal bleeding to hemorrhoids without colonoscopy or tells you that breast lump “feels fine” without imaging, they violate established protocols. We prove causation by showing earlier diagnosis meant better survival odds.
Baptist Health and HCA Kendall face accountability
Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute holds Magnet designation and promises excellence in cancer care. When their radiologists miss tumors on mammograms or oncologists delay treatment, this prestigious reputation makes negligence inexcusable. HCA Florida Kendall Hospital operates as a Level I Trauma Center with comprehensive cancer screening programs.
These hospitals maintain sophisticated electronic records tracking every lab result and imaging study. This documentation proves when providers ignored abnormal findings or failed to communicate results. Large hospital systems deploy teams of defense lawyers to fight your claim. Jorge L. Flores has the resources and experience to match their tactics and secure maximum compensation. Call (305) 528-2221.
Common cancers missed by Miami-Dade doctors
Breast cancer misdiagnosis occurs when doctors dismiss palpable lumps without ultrasound or tell women under 40 they’re “too young” for cancer. Lung cancer gets mistaken for bronchitis in smokers whose persistent cough receives only antibiotics. Colorectal cancer symptoms like rectal bleeding get attributed to hemorrhoids without colonoscopy.
Prostate cancer goes undetected when doctors skip PSA testing or ignore elevated levels. Pancreatic cancer’s weight loss and abdominal pain get dismissed as gastritis. Melanoma receives visual inspection instead of biopsy despite meeting ABCDE criteria. Ovarian cancer’s bloating gets treated as digestive issues for months. Each missed diagnosis allows cancer to spread, reducing survival chances.
Florida’s two-year deadline controls your future
You have exactly two years from discovering medical negligence caused your cancer progression to file suit. Florida Statutes Section 95.11 imposes this strict deadline without exceptions. The clock starts when you knew or should have known malpractice occurred, not when cancer was first missed.
Additionally, a four-year statute of repose creates an absolute deadline regardless of discovery date. Before filing, Florida requires 90 day pre-suit investigation with verified medical expert opinion. This process takes months. Waiting 18 months to contact an attorney leaves insufficient time. Missing these deadlines permanently bars your claim. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Call (305) 528-2221.
Damages include medical bills, lost wages, and suffering
Florida law allows recovery for all harm caused by cancer malpractice. Economic damages cover additional medical expenses from advanced treatment, lost wages during extended therapy, and reduced earning capacity from permanent disability. If delay transformed $40,000 early treatment into $250,000 late-stage care, you recover the difference plus future costs.
Non-economic damages address physical pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, and lost quality of life. When misdiagnosis forces mastectomy instead of lumpectomy or colostomy instead of polyp removal, you deserve compensation. Spouses recover for loss of companionship. Wrongful death cases compensate families when malpractice proves fatal. Jorge L. Flores maximizes every element of damages. Call (305) 528-2221.
Expert witnesses prove your doctor’s negligence clearly
Florida requires medical expert testimony establishing the provider breached acceptable standards and caused your injury. Your expert must practice the same specialty as the defendant doctor. We work with board-certified oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists who review records and identify exactly where care failed.
For pathology errors, we obtain original biopsy slides for independent microscopic review proving misread results. These experts explain how timely diagnosis would have changed your treatment and prognosis. They testify that missing obvious symptoms violates basic medical standards. Defense experts will claim symptoms were vague. Our experts counter with medical literature and established protocols. Jorge L. Flores maintains relationships with leading specialists.
We investigate every aspect of delayed diagnosis
Our investigation starts with obtaining complete medical records from every provider involved in your care. We analyze physician notes, lab results, imaging reports, and pathology findings to identify when cancer signs first appeared. Creating detailed timelines shows exactly how delay occurred and which providers failed you.
We research medical literature establishing proper diagnostic protocols. Background checks reveal past malpractice claims against negligent doctors. Life care planners calculate future medical costs while economists determine lost earning capacity. We interview you and family about symptoms reported and doctor responses. Jorge L. Flores advances all costs without requiring upfront payment. You pay nothing unless we win. Call (305) 528-2221.
Screening failures at Kendall medical facilities matter
Doctors who don’t follow established cancer screening guidelines commit clear malpractice. Colonoscopy screening should begin at age 45, earlier with family history. Mammograms start at age 40 for average risk women. High risk patients need genetic testing and enhanced surveillance. When Kendall physicians skip these protocols, cancer grows undetected for years.
Baptist Health’s comprehensive screening programs make missing these standards inexcusable. Primary care doctors must recognize red flags requiring specialist referral. Gastroenterologists who rush colonoscopies miss up to 20% of polyps. Radiologists who misread mammograms delay life saving treatment. The Law Offices of Jorge L. Flores holds providers accountable for violating screening standards.
Settlement negotiations require trial-ready attorneys
Insurance companies defending doctors offer lowball settlements hoping you’ll accept less than deserved. They know cancer patients face mounting bills and financial pressure. Defense lawyers use delay tactics designed to frustrate you into giving up. Jorge L. Flores won’t let them succeed.
We prepare every case for trial, gathering evidence and expert testimony that proves negligence definitively. This preparation forces insurers to negotiate seriously or face jury verdicts. We calculate comprehensive damages including future medical costs and lifetime earning losses. Our aggressive approach shows defendants we won’t accept inadequate offers. Most firms lack resources for complex medical trials. Jorge L. Flores has the expertise to take your case through verdict.
Take action before time runs out forever
Don’t wait another day to pursue justice for cancer malpractice. Florida’s two-year statute of limitations approaches quickly while you focus on treatment and recovery. Every week of delay makes gathering evidence harder and brings you closer to losing legal rights permanently.
The Law Offices of Jorge L. Flores offers free consultations to evaluate your case immediately. We’ll review your medical history, explain your legal options, and provide honest assessment of potential recovery. You pay no attorney fees unless we win. We advance all costs for experts, records, and litigation expenses. Kendall families deserve accountability when medical negligence steals health and hope. Call (305) 528-2221 now.
About This Page
Who created this content: This page was written by Jorge L. Flores, P.A., Florida Bar Member 53244, and was reviewed by our legal team for accuracy and compliance with current Florida law. AV Preeminent® rating since 2015.
How this page was prepared: The content was developed based on 30+ years of medical malpractice case experience in Miami-Dade County, a review of current Florida statutes, and adherence to Florida Bar advertising guidelines. Medical standards referenced were verified with board certified physicians.
Why this page exists: To provide Kendall residents with accurate, accessible information about their legal rights after medical negligence, and to explain the malpractice claims process in clear, understandable terms.
Last reviewed: Oct 4, 2025
Disclaimer: Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits.
Florida Bar Required Notice: The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.