Delay in diagnosis

M.T. vs Radiologist

A lawyer in Atlanta called us about a client of his who used to live in Los Angeles. The client had a six-year-old daughter who had started to develop breasts and pubic hair at age six. Her pediatrician ordered a CT study of her brain to look for a possible brain tumor. The CT was read by someone who had not completed his training program in radiology. He read the study as normal. The treating doctor then assumed that this was early development but otherwise normal.

We obtained that CT study and had it read by the chief of pediatric-neuroradiology at a major hospital in Los Angeles. That person told us that there was a tumor in the pituitary that was "obvious" on the CT scan. The defendant had missed it. What's more, this tumor, had it been caught early, was very treatable.

We called the head of claims for the defendant's insurance company and met with her. We showed her the films and our reports. Eventually she paid the highest amount ever paid in Riverside County for a child cancer case at that time.

The child is doing much better today; she has wonderful care and a beautiful home. She gets the best educational and rehabilitation care available.