VA, Military & Federal Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Yes, if VA providers missed or failed to monitor a blood cancer or a pre-cancerous blood condition, such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, or MGUS, and the disease progressed because of the delay. The claim is brought against the United States under the FTCA.

Blood cancers often show up first in routine lab work, so these cases frequently involve results that were seen but never acted on. Common problems include:

• Abnormal blood counts, such as unexplained anemia or a high white cell count, with no further testing or hematology referral.
• A pre-cancerous condition like MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) that was diagnosed but never monitored as it progressed to multiple myeloma.
• Bone pain, fatigue, kidney problems, swollen lymph nodes, or night sweats that were not evaluated together.
• Lab results ordered by one provider and never reviewed by anyone.

Many blood cancers are presumptive conditions for veterans. Agent Orange includes chronic B-cell leukemias, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Miami County, Ohio Veterans Services), and the PACT Act added MGUS. In January 2025, VA also added leukemias, multiple myeloma, and myelodysplastic syndromes to the burn pit presumptive list (UPI). Rawls Law Group obtained a $325,000 FTCA settlement for a failure to diagnose multiple myeloma. If your blood cancer diagnosis was delayed by a VA healthcare provider, contact our office today.

Yes, if you were at high risk for liver cancer and the VA failed to screen you, or ignored abnormal imaging or lab results, and the cancer advanced during the delay. The claim is brought against the United States under the FTCA.

Liver cancer is hard to treat once symptoms appear, which is why patients with certain conditions need regular surveillance, typically an ultrasound, often with a blood test, about every six months. High-risk conditions include cirrhosis from any cause, chronic hepatitis B, and hepatitis C with advanced liver scarring. Common problems include:

• A veteran with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis who never received surveillance imaging.
• A liver lesion seen on imaging with no follow-up scan or referral.
• A rising tumor marker (AFP) that no one acted on.
• Abnormal liver tests blamed on alcohol or medication without further workup.

Liver cancer is a presumptive condition for veterans exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune (PACT Act summary). If your liver cancer diagnosis was delayed by a VA healthcare provider, contact our office today.

Yes, if a VA provider failed to biopsy a suspicious mole or lesion, misread the pathology, or delayed treatment, and the melanoma spread as a result. The claim is brought against the United States under the FTCA.

Melanoma can spread quickly once it grows deeper into the skin, so timing matters. Common problems in these cases include:

• A changing, bleeding, or irregular mole that a provider dismissed without a biopsy or dermatology referral.
• A biopsy that was misread as benign.
• Positive biopsy results that were never communicated to the veteran.
• Incomplete removal of a melanoma with no follow-up surgery.

Melanoma is among the cancers the PACT Act made presumptive for veterans with qualifying burn pit exposure (VA disability guide). Rawls Law Group recovered $300,000 for the widow of an Army veteran after a missed diagnosis of metastatic skin cancer. If your melanoma diagnosis was delayed by a VA healthcare provider, contact our office today.

Yes, if VA providers failed to evaluate blood in your urine or other warning signs, and the bladder cancer grew or spread because of the delay. The claim is brought against the United States under the FTCA.

Blood in the urine (hematuria) is the classic early warning sign of bladder cancer, especially in older adults and people who smoke. The most common failure is treating it as a urinary tract infection or kidney stone without a proper workup, such as imaging and a cystoscopy to look inside the bladder. Other problems include:

• Blood found on a routine urine test that no one followed up on.
• Repeated “UTIs” treated with antibiotics without investigating the cause.
• A urology referral that was ordered but never completed.
• Abnormal urine cytology or imaging results that were not acted on.

Bladder cancer matters especially for veterans. The PACT Act added it as a presumptive condition for Agent Orange exposure, and it is also presumptive for veterans exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune (PACT Act summary). In January 2025, VA added urinary bladder cancer to the burn pit presumptive list for Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans (UPI). If your bladder cancer diagnosis was delayed by a VA healthcare provider, contact our office today.

Yes, if VA providers ignored a rising PSA level, failed to refer you to a urologist, or delayed a biopsy, and the cancer spread beyond the prostate as a result. The claim is brought against the United States under the FTCA.

Prostate cancer usually grows slowly, so the strongest cases involve a long delay or a missed sign of aggressive disease. Common problems include:

• A PSA that rose over several tests without anyone acting on it.
• An abnormal PSA or rectal exam with no urology referral, or a referral that was never scheduled.
• Biopsy results that were never reviewed with the veteran.
• Bone pain or urinary symptoms that were not evaluated for cancer.

Prostate cancer is a presumptive condition for veterans exposed to Agent Orange (Miami County, Ohio Veterans Services). Rawls Law Group has handled VA prostate cancer cases, including a $210,000 settlement for a veteran whose prostate cancer went undiagnosed for more than a year at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center. If your prostate cancer diagnosis was delayed by a VA healthcare provider, contact our office today.

Yes, if a VA radiologist misread a chest X-ray or CT scan, or VA providers failed to follow up on a lung nodule or other abnormal finding, and the cancer spread during the delay. The claim is brought against the United States under the FTCA.

Missed follow-up is one of the most common problems we see. A CT scan done for another reason, such as chest pain or a kidney stone, shows a small lung nodule. The radiologist recommends a repeat scan in a few months, but no one orders it or tells the veteran. By the time the cancer is found, it has spread.

Other common problems include:

• No annual low-dose CT screening for an eligible veteran. Screening is recommended for adults ages 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history who still smoke or quit within the past 15 years.
• A persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss blamed on a cold or COPD.
• A chest X-ray read as normal when it showed a mass.

Many veterans have toxic exposures linked to lung cancer. Respiratory cancers are presumptive conditions for Agent Orange exposure, and the PACT Act added respiratory cancer of any type for burn pit exposure (Miami County, Ohio Veterans Services; PACT Act summary). If your lung cancer diagnosis was delayed by a VA healthcare provider, contact our office today.