The teenager began feeling sick on July 14, 2021 and was brought to a doctor. The initial diagnosis was pneumonia. Later, the diagnosis changed to gynecomastia. Eighteen days after she first felt sick, she died from cardiac arrest…medicalmalpracticelawyers, $25M Maine Medical Malpractice Verdict For Death Of 15-Year-Old From Undiagnosed Leukemia
It was later determined that she had been suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which is curable if timely diagnosed and properly treated. The cardiac arrest was due to the buildup of fluid that was associated with her leukemia.
The mother’s Maine medical malpractice lawsuit alleged that the physicians and defendant medical group failed to perform an adequate physical examination by failing to obtain complete vital signs, they failed to properly review the teenager’s medical history, and they breached the standard of care by failing to provide appropriate medical care.
The defense reportedly argued to the jury that doctors have to make many medical decisions every day and should not be held responsible if they are occasionally incorrect in their diagnoses. The defense also tried to place some blame on the teenager’s primary care physician.