Sullivan Papain Secures $4.3 Million Settlement in Fatal Delayed Breast Cancer Diagnosis Case

Sullivan Papain is proud to report that firm member Eleni Coffinas secured a $4,300,000 settlement in a medical malpractice case arising out of Nassau County.

The case involved a 48-year-old married woman and mother of two whose breast cancer diagnosis was delayed by approximately three months due to multiple departures from accepted medical standards. The patient initially sought medical attention after experiencing pain and a feeling of lumpiness in her breast. Her primary care physician referred her for a sonogram, which was interpreted by the defendant radiologist as normal.

However, a subsequent review of the imaging by a qualified radiology expert determined that the sonogram contained suspicious shadowing that warranted additional diagnostic testing. The failure to identify these findings and recommend further evaluation was a clear departure from accepted standards of radiological care.

Compounding this failure, the patient’s primary care provider did not pursue any further investigation into her ongoing symptoms after the sonogram was read as normal. Despite the patient’s continued complaints, no additional imaging, referrals, or diagnostic measures were undertaken at that time.

Approximately three months later, the patient was ultimately diagnosed with breast cancer. The defendants argued that any delay in diagnosis and treatment was only three months, therefore any delay did not impact treatment or outcome.  However, plaintiff was able to establish, by comparing sonograms done three months apart, that in that short period of time, the cancer was able to and did spread. By then, the delay had allowed the disease to progress, requiring aggressive treatment including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Tragically, despite these efforts, the cancer metastasized to her liver, bones, and brain, ultimately resulting in her death.

The case was brought on behalf of the patient and her family, alleging that the failures in both radiological interpretation and follow-up care deprived her of a timely diagnosis and the opportunity for earlier, potentially more effective treatment.

At the time of settlement, the case was on the trial calendar in Nassau County. The matter was resolved for a total of $4,300,000, with contributions from multiple defendants, including the radiology provider, the interpreting radiologist, the nurse practitioner, and the primary care physician.

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. 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.