Delayed Skin Cancer Diagnosis Leads to $2.5 Million Medical Malpractice Settlement
Linda P. noticed a dark spot on her cheek near her nose was looking strange. It had gone from a normal, round spot to an angry-looking, misshapen blotch. She went to her physician to discuss her concerns, and the physician referred her to a skin cancer specialist. The specialist performed an examination of the blemish, but failed to perform a biopsy as the blemish failed to arouse any suspicion in the mind of the specialist.
Linda left the office, thinking that everything was fine and that she wouldn’t experience further troubles in light of the fact that the doctor found nothing wrong. Yet, unbeknownst to Linda, her problems were just beginning.
It turned out that the blemish was a basal cell carcinoma that had become active. The carcinoma silently grew deeper into her skin and started to grow under her nose. When Linda noticed that the blemish started to bleed, she got a referral to a different specialist. This one immediately diagnosed the blemish as being an active case of basal cell carcinoma, and one that had started to burrow into the structure of her nose.
The only recourse to the problem was to operate to remove the cancerous growth. Because the first specialist missed the diagnosis, the growth had gone deep under the cheek and nose. When a basal cell carcinoma burrows deeply, the specialist has to dig it out, leaving disfigurement in its wake. Linda’s face was now scarred, her nose off-kilter, and required reconstructive surgery. This could have been avoided had the carcinoma been caught the first time it was examined.
Linda decided to retain The Haymond Law Firm to file a delayed cancer diagnosis against the specialist that failed to perform his duty. The legal team went to work quickly in order to uncover evidence of malpractice on the part of the first specialist that examined Linda.
The Haymond Law Firm was able to find evidence that the specialist ignored obvious signs of a basal cell carcinoma on Linda’s face. The specialist also failed to order a biopsy of the mark in order to rule cancer in or out.
Linda received a $2.5 Million dollar settlement for the suffering she experienced as a direct result of medical malpractice.