This medical malpractice case arose
from the failure of a doctor to diagnose skin cancer on the plaintiff’s
face.
Plaintiff was 72 years old in August
of 1997 when he was referred by his internist to the defendant doctor
for evaluation of possible cancer on his left cheek. Defendant’s
differential diagnosis was “lentigo maligna vs. seborrheic keratosis.”
A biopsy was performed by defendant. The biopsy was positive for cancer,
but plaintiff was informed about a
month after his initial visit that the spot on his left cheek was
benign, that he did not have cancer, and that it did not need removal.
As a result, plaintiff did not follow up with defendant.
Over the next two and a half years,
the “benign” spot on the plaintiff’s left cheek grew in size. Finally,
in January 2000, plaintiff was referred to a new dermatologist for
further evaluation of the now significantly larger growth on his left
cheek, which had grown and extended to under the left eyelid. The new
doctor diagnosed plaintiff with cancer known as lentigo maligna and
determined that he needed to undergo surgery. Plaintiff had three major
surgeries, resulting in severe facial scarring and disfigurement, as
well as dysfunction.
If defendant had correctly diagnosed
plaintiff’s skin cancer, the malignancy could have been removed in a
simple procedure. Defendant claimed that he informed plaintiff to
follow up clinically after the biopsy and that plaintiff failed to do
so. Although the doctor attempted to blame the patient for his error,
there was no evidence to prove his claim, and the case ultimately
settled.
Choosing a Massachusetts
Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Find out more about the kinds of
medical malpractice cases which the attorneys at our firm handle on our
page on
Personal Injury Caused by Medical Malpractice.
If you feel you have a medical
malpractice case, it is vital that you act immediately to protect your
rights, as Massachusetts has strict statutes of limitations for medical
malpractice cases. Please call us at 617-723-7676, or toll free at
1-800-379-1244, or use our contact form.
