Veteran settles med-mal case against gov’t for $2.5M

A South Carolina veteran who claimed that a radiologist with the Veterans Administration failed to identify a cancerous mass in his lower back has settled his case with the U.S. government for $2.5 million, his attorneys report.

Attorneys Harry Goldberg, William Padget, and Carl Hiller in Columbia report that the plaintiff, whose name was withheld, alleged that the radiologist failed to identify a mass that was apparent in his lower back after an Oct. 15, 2013 MRI.

By the time the mass was discovered in May 2014, it had grown. The plaintiff’s treatment included radiation therapy, chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, the attorneys said.

The plaintiff alleged the delay in diagnosis allowed the tumor to progress, ultimately to multiple myeloma, a type of cancer. The plaintiff settled the lawsuit on May 1 and by that time, the cancer was in remission.

The government contested causation and that veteran’s damages were attributable to the delayed diagnosis, the attorneys said.

Follow Bill Cresenzo on Twitter @bcresenzosclw

SETTLEMENT REPORT — MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Amount: $2.5 million

Injuries alleged: Multiple myeloma

Case name: Withheld

Court: Withheld

Case No: Withheld

Date of settlement: May 1

Attorneys for plaintiff: Harry Goldberg, William Padget, and Carl Hiller in Columbia