The medical care at issue took place at the McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond. The plaintiff reported a palpable lump in her left breast to her VA medical provider in December 2019. Only a screening mammogram was ordered, however. The mammogram was read as normal by the VA radiologist. The lump grew in size, and the plaintiff reported the development to her VA medical provider. A diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound were performed in June 2020, which revealed an abnormal mass. High-grade invasive mammary carcinoma was subsequently diagnosed, requiring rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, which unfortunately have not prevented metastasis of the cancer. On subsequent review, the December 2019 mammogram clearly showed the abnormal mass that had been missed by the VA radiologist, which resulted in a delay in diagnosis and treatment of the plaintiff’s breast cancer, leading to the development of an advanced and significant tumor and increasing the risk of death to the plaintiff and requiring her to undergo more invasive treatments.
