Professional Negligence Law Reporter

Ingram v. Blanco, No. DBD-CV 16-6020056-S (Conn. Jud. Dist. Danbury Jan. 23, 2019).

Gail Ingram, 61, went to a hospital emergency room complaining of abdominal pain. She underwent a CT scan, which was interpreted by radiologist Barbara Blanco as showing possible pancreatitis, a gallstone, and no acute bowel findings. After a four-day hospitalization, Ingram was instructed to consult her primary care physician. Less than two years later, Ingram returned to the emergency room suffering from abdominal pain. A CT scan revealed a 4-cm lung mass and led to a lung cancer diagnosis. Ingram, whose cancer was Stage IV at diagnosis, died just over a month later. She is survived by her husband and two adult children.

Ingram’s husband, on behalf of her estate, sued Blanco,alleging she negligently misread the first CT scan, which showed a 1-cm nodule at the base of Ingram’s right lung. Had the nodule been reported, the plaintiff argued, Ingram could have been treated with a lobectomy and chemotherapy, which would have given her a 70% chance of survival. Suit did not claim lost income.

The jury awarded $2.7 million.

Plaintiff counsel: AAJ members Steven Errante and Marisa Bellair, both of New Haven, Conn.

Plaintiff experts: Kyunghee Cho, radiology, and Paul Bader, oncology, both of New York City.