TS, by all means, go for it. sue the polyclinic.
Who have better and more advance equipment? Polyclinic or GPs?
If your GP is able to diagnose possible cancerous growth on the
first visit, assuming that he did it by visual means, your
polyclinic doctors should be ashamed of themselves.
The cancer was left undiagnosed for 4 months, and many things
could have happened during this period. For cancer, the earlier you
detect, and the earlier you do something about it the better.
Treatment could be less complicated and less costly if the doctors
have detected it 4 months earlier.
Stage 3 cancer is no joke, and the chance of recovery is much
lower than stage 1 cancer, where a simple surgical removal of the
tumor will cure your uncle of cancer. At stage 3, he would have to
go for surgery, and go through a painful chemotherapy and
radiotherapy regime, where it is also very costly too. It can
easily cost a very hundred thousands, depending on severity.
In the event that your uncle couldn't make it, that 4 months
lost would also be very significant. He could have better prepare
his family for bad news with the 4 extra months.
Who is responsible for this act of negligence? Your uncle was
responsible. He knew that something was not right, and therefore he
did the right thing to seek medical advice, from professionally
trained doctors. And the fact that he did so on multiple occasions
reaffirm he has acted responsibly.
On the other hand, doctors had repeatedly misdiagnosed him, when
he seeked their medical advice. Given their capacities as trained
medical doctors, your uncle had followed their professional
judgement, and was punished with cancer, and to me, i considered
that a criminal breach of trust, gross incompetence, and criminally
negligent.
If you merely submit a complaint, it would be kind of useless,
unless your uncle are very very very well off, and care more about
face than money.
They will probably go through a lengthy investigation, which
usually will take around 1,2 years, even for the most simple and
obvious of cases. And after that, the most they will do is to give
a warning letter to the doctor, and a letter of apology for the
patient.
Will that letter of apology improve your uncle's health? Will it
reduce the cost of medical treatment? especially when the medical
cost is exacerbated due to their misdiagnosis.
You will need solid compensation to cover for the cost of
treatment, and to ensure that the doctor is duely punished. If not
by hanging his license, at least make him feel some pain in his
pockets.
Cancer is no small matter, and a misdiagnosis and the subsequent
delay in treatment can result in death of the patient. When your
life is at stake due to someone's negligence and incompetence, that
person should be held accountable and responsible.
As for cost of legal advice, usually your estate would offer
free legal clinics for free legal consultation. Sometimes, lawyers
also take on pro bono cases.
