Posts Tagged ‘bladder cancer’

Christine Golden, a Pennsylvanian woman, was recently awarded a $1.88 million judgment by a Pennsylvanian jury in a medical malpractice lawsuit.  Her husband, Terrence Golden, died after two doctors failed to diagnose his bladder cancer during a time when he could have been potentially saved with proper medical treatment.  Terrence died in January 2009 from the bladder cancer, which Christine alleged could have been treated if doctors had diagnosed it correctly.  It took nearly two years and several visits to a urologist and a pathologist before the bladder cancer was discovered.  The jury found that this medical misdiagnosis led to the death of Terrence.

With cancer, medical misdiagnosis is extremely fatal, because it can deprive a patient of important early treatments, which are less effective when the cancer is at later stages.  Bladder cancer is invasive and often spreads to other organs, as it did in Terrence, when not discovered in its early stages.  If caught early, bladder cancer can even be cured.

Christine sued Terrence’s urologist, Milan J. Smolko, who saw him numerous times between September 2002 and January 2004.  Terrence had complained about urinary problems during those visits.  Smolko had misdiagnosed him with only an inflamed and enlarged prostate without doing any further investigations until July 2003.  At that time, Smolko sent a bladder biopsy to pathologist, Lillian Longendofer, who also failed to identify the problem.  Eventually, Terrence went to another doctor in June 2004, who discovered the bladder cancer, but it was too late.  By that time, the cancer had metastasized to Terrence’s prostate and portions of his urethra.  The doctor removed the affected areas, but the cancer was too advanced to treat completely and as a result, Terrence died in January 2009.

Medical misdiagnosis can lead to serious, even fatal, consequences.  Careless oversights made by doctors can claim lives and deprive people of the chance to live their lives to the fullest.  If you or a loved one has been a victim of medical misdiagnosis or a doctor’s failure to diagnose, contact a medical malpractice lawyer today.