Cervical cancer, once a disease that was a leading killer of women, is now a condition that is easily detectable and preventable with regular Pap smear tests.

However, some women are filing Pap smear malpractice lawsuits alleging that their test results were misread. Misread tests can lead to cancer that is not discovered in time for proper treatment.

The Pap smear test has been a game-changer in women’s health. After it was introduced to the medical community about sixty years ago, the cervical cancer rate among women dropped greatly. The Pap smear test is able to detect irregular cervical cells which are the ones that can lead to cervical cancer.

When a woman has regular Pap smear tests, cervical cancer is easily detectable and much more preventable. However, even with regular Pap smear tests, some women are still being diagnosed with cervical cancer. This may be due to errors in Pap smear results.

Some women or their surviving family members have filed Pap malpractice lawsuits against medical professionals, labs or lab technicians they believe are responsible for not detecting cancer cells on Pap smear tests.

Pap smear malpractice is reportedly more common than it may seem. American labs handle hundreds of thousands of Pap smear tests each year. Each of these tests must be evaluated by a medical or lab worker.

Because of the sheer number of Pap smear tests that lab technicians must view each year, mistakes can happen. However, Pap smear malpractice may occur when the lab has inadequate processes to catch potentially life-threatening mistakes, such as a false negative result.

One woman, a Florida resident, died in 2011 from cervical cancer. Her family alleges that she had undergone regular Pap smear tests with negative results leading her to believe that she did not have cancerous cells on her cervix. However, after she died of cervical cancer, it was discovered that some of her test results were false negatives. In essence, the test results she received said she did not have cancer, but in reality, the Pap smear test should have shown cancerous cells.

The woman’s surviving husband filed a lawsuit against the medical lab alleging Pap smear malpractice. He claimed that the lab was negligent and a jury awarded him nearly $16 million in damages.

What is a Pap Smear?

A Pap smear test is a simple test that women are encouraged to get regularly. During a Pap smear test, a small sample of cells is swabbed from a woman’s cervix. These cells are analyzed at a lab for abnormal cells. If a Pap smear test reveals abnormal cells, the woman may be at risk for cervical cancer. If the Pap smear test comes back as normal, the woman is most likely not at risk for cervical cancer.

However, false negative Pap smear results have resulted in women believing they were free of cancer, but in reality, they should have begun treatment for cervical cancer. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to treat late-stage cervical cancer, making it vital to catch the disease in its early stages if possible.

If you believe you may have been the victim of Pap smear malpractice, you may be eligible for damages including medical expenses, hospital stays, missed work, pain and suffering and/or wrongful death. While legal compensation cannot bring a loved one back to life, it can help alleviate the costs of lost wages and medical bills.