Being given a diagnosis of breast cancer would be traumatic for an Illinois resident to experience. Surgery to remove the breast is often a step in the treatment process for the disease. Recovery from the surgery would understandably bring both physical and emotional struggles. However, discovering that the surgery was unnecessary would be devastating for a person to hear. A recent situation where the failure to diagnose a condition properly has led to a malpractice suit against a hospital in another state.
A woman was told she had a common form of breast cancer following a biopsy at the hospital. She was sent for a mastectomy to remove her breast. There, her civil suit states that a critical step in the hospital’s pre-operative procedures never took place. The guidelines state that pathology reports conducted by other facilities must be reviewed by someone from the hospital’s medical staff. Though the surgeon certified that the report had been examined, the review had never occurred, according to court documents.
A routine tissue test conducted following the surgery uncovered the error. Both the original biopsy and the post-surgery test confirmed that the woman had sclerosing adenosis, benign extra breast tissue with no cancer present. The woman has subsequently undergone reconstructive breast surgery. The court records show that additional procedures have been required for a surgical hernia and she has suffered blood clots in her lung. Both the hospital and surgeon involved have declined to comment about the lawsuit.
When patients in Illinois have suffered from medical personnel’s failure to diagnose a condition, they may choose to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. A successful lawsuit could provide an award for the medical expenses as well as damages for the pain and suffering experienced. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney can provide assistance throughout the legal process and work toward achieving a favorable outcome for a client.
Source: New York Post, “Doctor cut off my breast by mistake“, Carl Campanile, June 19, 2017