$1.34 Million Jury Verdict for Failure to Rule Out Ovarian Cancer

Chasidy Plunkard, 40, experienced pelvic pain and irregular bleeding. After undergoing a transvaginal ultrasound and diagnosed as having a cyst in the right ovary, she was referred to an osteopath, Dr. Charles Marks, who did an endometrial biopsy.

The biopsy was interpreted as benign. Dr. Marks allegedly told Plunkard that absent abnormal bleeding, nothing more needed to be done for her.

However, nine months later, Plunkard sought treatment for what was described as widespread pain. She also presented to a hospital emergency room five months later, complaining of severe abdominal pain. Plunkard underwent laparoscopic surgery and was later advised that she suffered from metastatic cancer.

The diagnosis of cancer necessitated a hysterectomy, planectomy appendectomy and other surgeries.

A pathology report after the surgeries confirmed Stage IVB metastatic ovarian cancer. Plunkard underwent chemotherapy to treat her condition.

She sued Dr. Marks, alleging that he chose not to timely diagnose ovarian cancer. Plunkard maintained that Dr. Marks had failed to evaluate the findings of a transvaginal ultrasound, order an appropriate MRI, or simply rule out ovarian cancer which he did not do. The prognosis is not good.

The jury that heard this case signed a verdict for approximately $1.34 million, which included $115,000 for past lost income.

The attorneys handling this case for Plunkard were Shanin Specter, Kila Baldwin, Mark Polin and Charles Becker.

Plunkard v. Marks, No. 1:18CV01536 (M.D. Pa.).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling obstetrician negligence lawsuits, gynecology negligence lawsuits, hospital negligence lawsuits, birth trauma injury cases, nursing home negligence cases and medical malpractice lawsuits for individuals, families and loved ones who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 45 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Burbank, Evergreen Park, Franklin Park, Itasca, Bensenville, Kildeer, Lake Bluff, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Wheaton, Hinsdale, Country Club Hills, Tinley Park, Chicago (South Deering, East Side, Chatham, Brighton Park, Belmont Cragin, Humboldt Park, Edgewater, Uptown, Albany Park), Roselle, Bloomingdale, Lake Zurich and Crystal Lake, Ill.

Robert D. Kreisman has been an active member of the Illinois and Missouri bars since 1976.