$725,000 Settlement for Cervical Cancer Undetected

When a Sussex County woman’s PAP smear was reported mildly abnormal by the cytology laboratory, her gynecologist performed another test, which was returned normal. Years later, the woman developed invasive cervical cancer.

Blume Donnelly attorney Carol Forte (also a Registered Nurse) proved that not only did the physician act improperly in not ordering further diagnostic testing, but that the cytology lab was wrong for not finding that the original smear was much more abnormal than they had reported.

A settlement in the amount of $725,000 was obtained, to be paid two-thirds by the physician and one-third by the lab.