$1 Million settlement for the estate of a 71-year old man

February, 2004

The family of a 71-year old retiree who died from colon cancer settled claims against two doctors arising from their delay in diagnosing his cancerous condition. These physicians failed to conduct routine colon cancer screening, and as a consequence, the plaintiff was not diagnosed with his cancerous condition at a time when it could have been effectively treated. The settlement, for $1 million, was reached the day before trial was scheduled to commence in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. The settlement was negotiated by trial counsel in the case, Mark W. Tanner, and pursuant to the settlement agreement, the identity of the plaintiffs and defendants cannot be disclosed.

In preparation for this trial, Feldman Shepherd attorneys retained premier experts in the field of gastrointestinal oncology, including a physician who was on the United States Task Force that helped establish the guidelines for routine colon cancer screening. Experts in the field of family medicine were also retained, and detailed anatomic illustrations and exhibits were prepared. The evening before the jury was to be selected for the trial, the settlement was reached.