Delay in Diagnosing Tumor Cost Hospital $3 Million
January 15, 2002
The family of an infant who was a victim of medical malpractice was awarded $3 million last November by a New York jury. The 1994 incident occurred when the baby girl's mother checked her into Staten Island University Hospital in September. The girl was initially diagnosed with torticollis (head tilt) but X-rays revealed a mass in the back of the infant's pharynx. A pediatric neurologist ordered a CT scan and a surgical evaluation of the infant. Instead of following the neurologist's instructions, a resident examined the child and ordered another X-ray. The resident failed to recognize the tumor and subsequently released the infant.
Four months later, the baby returned to the hospital and the neuroblastoma tumor was properly diagnosed. The family sued the hospital and several doctors for their delay in diagnosing the girl's cancer. The jury agreed with the infant's mother who contended that her daughter would not have undergone an intense form of chemotherapy if the cancer had been discovered during the initial visit.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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