The medical malpractice lawsuit filed by Barbara Lauer back in August after a cancerous mole on her scalp was not diagnosed is now being amended into a wrongful death claim. Lauer’s estate is taking over the legal battle since she lost her fight with cancer in January.
According to the original suit, in 2005 Dr. Akhtar Cheema failed to diagnose a mole on her scalp as cancerous. The mole turned out to be malignant melanoma, which wasn’t discovered until it returned and was properly evaluated nearly a year later.
In August of 2006, a full body CT scan revealed that the cancer had spread to other areas of Lauer’s body, and she eventually had to undergo surgery to remove her lymph nodes.
Lauer’s lawsuit claimed that because of Dr. Cheema’s and St. Joseph’s Healthcare System’s failure to properly diagnose her cancer in a timely manner, she was forced to suffer from a “permanent and deadly injury” which limited her ability to “fully live her life in the future.”
Sadly, her words rang all too true when she passed away from metastatic malignant melanoma at the age of 65.
Lauer’s estate will now continue what she started and seek justice for the senseless loss of her life.
Cancer misdiagnosis is a serious form of medical malpractice that, as evidenced in this story, can prove deadly. If you’ve suffered further injury due to a doctor’s misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose cancer, don’t wait until it’s too late. Time is of the essence, so speak to an experienced medical lawyer who can help you determine what your next step should be.
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