Woman Develops Breast Cancer After Physician Fails to Order Biopsy; Settled for $696,000

Jeff Milman with Hodes Milman represented a woman who developed breast cancer after her physician failed to order a biopsy, instead misdiagnosing the problem area as a cyst. The physician conducted an office-based ultrasound, which was not reviewed by a radiologist or done via Doppler, and determined that the lesion was consistent with fibrocystic disease and therefore, did not require biopsy, despite its irregular shape and mixed echogenicity. Ten months later, after the lesion was initially discovered, the mass was revealed to be cancerous. As a result of the delay in diagnosis, the plaintiff was forced to undergo aggressive chemotherapy, which also led to the damage of her nerves. The case was resolved in mediation for $696,000, plus the payment of mediator's fees by the defendant.