Jury awards $25 million to mother of Maine teen who died after misdiagnosis
By Jacob Murphy
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PORTLAND, Maine (WMTW) — A jury has sided in favor of a Maine woman in a medical malpractice case involving her late daughter.
Lyndsey Sutherland was awarded $25 million Thursday night, more than four years after the death of 15-year-old Jasmine “Jazzy” Vincent, who was from the Gray-New Gloucester area.
Jazzy started feeling very sick on July 14, 2021, and was initially diagnosed with pneumonia.
A doctor with the Mid Coast Medical Group later misdiagnosed Jazzy with gynecomastia, a condition commonly found in men who use anabolic steroids.
Jazzy ultimately died of cardiac arrest on Aug. 1, 2021, 18 days after she first felt sick. Days after she died, it was determined Jazzy’s cardiac arrest was caused by a fluid buildup related to acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a form of cancer Sutherland’s lawyers said is highly curable if properly diagnosed.
Sutherland’s lawyers argued Jazzy’s doctor at Mid Coast Medical Group did not review her medical history, did not run a complete set of vital signs and did not provide her with standard, appropriate care.
The defense argued that medical personnel have to make many decisions every day, and that they should not be punished if they are not always correct. The defense also argued Jazzy’s primary care, Martin’s Point Health Care, bears responsibility in the case.
The jury ultimately found that Mid Coast Medical Group was negligent.
Maine’s Total Coverage contacted MaineHealth, which owns Mid Coast Medical Group, with a request for comment but had not received a response as of Thursday night.
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