A woman who donated a kidney to her grandmother 11 months before the older woman died from cancer has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a Texas doctor. The medical malpractice lawsuit names a physician and a nephrology practice group as defendants.
The 31-year old woman claims that she donated her kidney to her grandmother without being informed that she suffered from terminal cancer, so the kidney donation was of no value. The grandmother had been evaluated for a kidney transplant and her granddaughter was deemed a viable option for donation. In January, 2012, the older woman had a CAT scan taken of her head, and a radiologist noted “temporal bone irregularities” that could potentially mean metastatic disease or multiple myeloma, a cancer that begins in the blood’s plasma cells. The radiologist also noted that “it would be difficult to exclude metastatic disease or multiple myeloma.” Despite the CAT scan findings and the radiologist’s report, the renal transplant was performed in February, 2012.
In August, 2012, the grandmother was officially diagnosed with a terminal form of multiple myeloma. The suit alleges that because there were findings that suggested she had this cancer months earlier, she should not have had the renal transplant. The lawsuit alleges that the “transplant was of no value to plaintiff’s grandmother because at the time of the transplant, her grandmother was suffering from terminal cancer in the form of multiple myeloma.” It claims that the grandmother’s doctor was negligent by failing to review the CAT scan before sending the women to get the procedure.
Identifying whether an individual has a valid medical malpractice case can be complicated and time consuming process. The medical malpractice lawyers at Lopez McHugh are currently investigating incidents of medical malpractice in Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania, as well as in New Jersey and California. If you or a loved one has been victim to a missed or delayed diagnosis of cancer or another serious medical condition, then then you should contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options. There is no cost or obligation for the initial consultation and your information will be kept confidential.
