Sullivan Papain Member Eleni Coffinas Secures $4.25 Million Settlement in Nassau County Medical Malpractice Case

Sullivan Papain is proud to announce a $4,250,000 settlement secured by firm member Eleni Coffinas in a medical malpractice case involving a delayed diagnosis of breast cancer. The case, which was on the trial calendar in the Supreme Court of Nassau County, settled on May 14, 2025.

The plaintiff, a 37-year-old mother of two, reported a palpable breast lump to her OBGYN early in her second pregnancy. The physician negligently attributed the lump to a clogged milk duct and failed to investigate further. When the plaintiff again raised the issue seven months later, no testing or imaging was performed.

Seven months postpartum, the plaintiff collapsed from a spinal fracture. A full medical workup revealed a diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, with spread to her bones, liver, and brain. She died one month later, leaving behind her husband and two young children, then ages 8 months and 2 years.

An expert in surgical oncology retained by Sullivan Papain confirmed that, had the lump been evaluated when first reported, the cancer likely would have been diagnosed at Stage II—highly treatable and potentially curable. The 14-month delay in diagnosis ultimately proved fatal.

The settlement reflects the devastating consequences of delayed cancer diagnoses and the importance of timely, thorough medical care.

Learn More About Firm Member Eleni Coffinas

Eleni Coffinas, a member of the firm, is a vigorous advocate for people injured due to medical malpractice. Her legal skills and experience have helped her clients achieve many multimillion-dollar settlements. Ms. Coffinas handles all types of medical malpractice cases, including birth injuries, cancer diagnosis delay, and surgical and cardiac cases.

To learn more about Firm Member Eleni Coffinas, click here.