Misdiagnosis Lawsuit Filed Against Neurologist Over Brain Lesion

A medical malpractice lawsuit has been filed by an Illinois woman, who alleges that her neurologist failed to diagnose excess brain tissue that caused her to suffer brain damage. 

The complaint was filed against Dr. Stephen K. Burger by Lisa Quick on May 25 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

According to the misdiagnosis lawsuit, Quick was referred to Burger by her eye doctor and visited him on January 8, 2009. Burger detected a one-centimeter lesion in her brain, but failed to diagnosis it as a threat. The lesion doubled in size within a year and caused Quick to suffer permanent brain injuries.

The lesion was located next to Quick’s right carotid siphon, and as it grew damaged her brain and brain stem, resulting in memory loss, double vision and headaches. The lawsuit claims that the injuries could have been avoided had Burger referred her to a neurosurgeon or informed her and her eye doctor of the lesion.

The lawsuit charges Burger with negligence and seeks damages in excess of $50,000 for permanent disability, permanent pain, medical expenses and loss of enjoyment of life, according to a report by The Madison Record.

Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose a medical problem is one of the more common forms of medical malpractice. In many medical cases, symptoms or warning signs must be acted upon quickly when first detected to prevent injury or further damage to the patient.

Brain lesions, which are damaged areas of the brain, can vary greatly in severity. Some lesions are harmless and some are even intentionally created by neurosurgeons to treat some types of brain syndromes, such as epilepsy. But other brain lesions, often based on location and size, can cause a host of medical problems including loss of motor control, vision changes, mood changes, headaches and nausea.