$6 Million Verdict for Failure to Diagnose Throat Cancer

Joram Hirsch represented the Estate of a man whose  doctor failed to diagnose his throat cancer. Our client had gotten a  Positron Emission Tomography [PET] scan which showed an area of  increased uptake, which is a sign of cancer. His doctor performed a  fiberoptic examination of the inside of our client’s throat, but this  type of fiberoptic examination does not always reveal a small growth.  The standard of care, in order to rule out cancer, is to do a follow-up  PET scan and fiberoptic examination within three months. The doctor  failed to recommend such follow-up.

A year later our client’s  cancer became symptomatic. The cancer was diagnosed and aggressively  treated, but it was too late. He died two years later, at age 71.

The jury awarded $6 million to our client’s Estate and his wife in compensation for his wrongful death.