<court>Dallas County (Tex) District Court</court>
Complaining of itching, burning, and redness around the nipple of her left breast, a 40-year-old woman presented to her Ob/Gyn. The physician diagnosed her condition as dermatitis and prescribed a topical lotion.
Four months later, the woman returned with the same symptoms. About 2 weeks later, another physician diagnosed Paget’s disease. She subsequently underwent a modified radical mastectomy.
In suing, the patient argued that her first doctor was negligent in diagnosing and treating her condition in a timely manner.
- The jury returned a defense verdict.
The cases presented here were compiled by Lewis L. Laska, editor of Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts. While there are instances when the available information is incomplete, these cases represent the types of clinical situations that typically result in litigation.