Dr. Fangxiang Chen was an agent of Mercy Clinic East Communities. Dr. Chen allegedly recommended that the plaintiff, Natalie Avilez, 39, undergo a minimally invasive right-sided microdiscectomy at T7-8. A microdiscectomy procedure is a type of minimally invasive discectomy commonly used to treat a herniated disc. When a herniated disc…
Ms. Doe, who had a history of breast cancer, underwent regular breast MRIs. After a tumor was identified on an MRI, her treating radiologist reviewed previous scans and allegedly confirmed that they had been misread as normal for several years. By the time the correct diagnosis was issued, Ms. Doe’s…
Robin Mann underwent a screening mammogram at the McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center. A doctor there allegedly noted a previously seen mass in Mann’s left breast but did not order an ultrasound. Approximately two years later, Mann underwent another screening mammogram that revealed no new masses. The following year, she…
Jennifer Schlutt, 26, was diagnosed as having squamous cell carcinoma of the distal urethra or periurethral area. She underwent a course of radiotherapy treatment, including external beam radiotherapy and the placement of an implant. During this radiation treatment, which lasted approximately six weeks, Schlutt suffered a severe reaction. She complained…
Doe, 14, began experiencing headaches, balance issues, fatigue and dizziness. In 2015, Doe underwent an MRI at Florence MRI & Imaging, where radiologist Dr. Zachary Kilpatrick interpreted the MRI as showing no abnormalities, critical findings or cause for concern. Doe’s symptoms continued intermittently. He underwent a second MRI in 2018.…
Maya Cotton underwent a mammogram after she developed a lump in her right breast. The interpreting radiologist allegedly reported that her condition was “probably benign.” Approximately 16 months later, she was diagnosed as having Stage IIIB breast cancer, which required a bilateral mastectomy, radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Cotton sued…
When Linda Smith began experiencing abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea, she consulted a gastroenterologist. The doctor ordered a CT scan. It was interpreted by a radiologist, Dr. Jonathan Foss, showing an unremarkable pancreas. Approximately two and a half years later, Smith read through the radiologist’s addendum to her medical chart,…
Gerald Culhane went to his primary care physician at Buffalo Veterans Administration Medical Center, complaining of a lump in his neck over a three-month period. A CT scan was reviewed by a radiologist as being unremarkable. Culhane was told that he did not require a follow-up. About a year and…
Doe, age 35, was hospitalized for treatment of pneumonia. Doe’s pneumonia cleared, but follow-up X-rays taken one month later and seven months after that showed a suspicious lesion on her lung. The radiologist interpreting the X-rays chose not to note or record the lesion. Almost three years later, Ms. Doe…
This appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court involves a medical malpractice lawsuit brought against the hospital system, Allina Health System. The suit is based on the alleged negligence of independent contractors involved in providing care for a patient in the emergency rooms of two different hospitals owned by the hospital…