Man Wins $1.6 Million in Missed Bladder Cancer Case

A terminally ill Illinois man has won a $1.6 million verdict against the general practitioner who failed to diagnose bladder cancer.

According to papers filed in DeKalb County Court, David Kordek visited the physician several times between June and November 2003 for complaints of frequent urination and other symptoms. By the time Kordek changed doctors that November, a mass on his bladder had grown until it obstructed his kidneys. The new doctor diagnosed stage 4 bladder cancer and renal failure; treatment options were few as the disease was so advanced.

Physicians who testified at the trial gave the 44-year-old plaintiff a 10% chance of surviving for six years and no chance of living to age 60. The jury took about two days to reach its verdict, the second-highest malpractice award in county history.

From the November 01, 2007 Issue of Renal and Urology News