When you seek out medical care, you place a great deal of trust with your chosen healthcare provider. You expect them to evaluate your symptoms, taking necessary steps to determine the issue and recommend treatment options.
At the age of 22 years old, Kerri Downes did not receive this quality of care. She became concerned after discovering a lump in her right breast. In March of 2018 she was seen by a nurse practitioner who dismissed the lump as benign and told her not to worry. Breast cancer in young women is very rare; however, no extensive tests, like an ultrasound, were performed to determine a diagnosis.
Consequences of Cancer Misdiagnosis and Case Verdict
Over the next nine months, the lump in Kerri’s breast grew. She also began experiencing a burning and tingling sensation in her right breast and underarm area. Still concerned, she went back to the same practice to be seen by a physician in December of 2018. The mass in her right breast had grown to the size of a golf ball. After an ultrasound was performed, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.
The mass grew a total of 2.5 centimeters since her initial visit, allowing the cancer to spread into three of her lymph nodes before having the cancerous mass removed. The spread of cancer has now reduced her life expectancy and deprived her of the chance to have a lumpectomy versus a bilateral mastectomy. Had she been given the proper care when she initially sought medical help, her cancer could have been caught in the very early stages which is easily treatable.
In her medical malpractice case against Axia Women’s Health and the nurse practitioner who failed to diagnose and timely treat her breast cancer, Kerri Downes was awarded an $18 million jury verdict for the malpractice she suffered.
Contact a Misdiagnosis Lawyer for More Information
Misdiagnosis happens when the protocol for standard care is not followed. Receiving a misdiagnosis can result in unnecessary treatment or failing to receive life-saving treatment. Sadly, when healthcare professionals make a mistake in diagnosis or fail to diagnose a patient, the results can be catastrophic or even fatal. If you or a loved one have been impacted by misdiagnosis, our dedicated Cleveland medical malpractice attorneys can help guide you through the difficult claims process. Contact our office for a free case review and to discuss your legal options.