Mom awarded $25M after daughter misdiagnosed with steroid disease usually found in men – but died from leukemia
A Maine jury awarded a mother $25 million Thursday, finding that Mid Coast Medical Group was negligent in the medical care of her late daughter.
Jasmine “Jazzy” Vincent, 15, of the Gray‑New Gloucester area, began feeling unwell on July 14, 2021, her mom, Lyndsey Sutherland, said in a lawsuit against the MCMG.
Her symptoms included sore, swollen breasts and veins, as well as respiratory issues.
Jazzy was first diagnosed with pneumonia, but then a physician from MCMG misdiagnosed her with gynecomastia, a condition usually seen in men who use anabolic steroids.
Despite medical attention, her condition rapidly worsened, and she suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on August 1, 2021, just 18 days after her symptoms began.
Sutherland, who was not in court on Thursday, sought damages for her daughter’s loss and its impact, and the jury reached its verdict after an hour of deliberation.
“This was for Jazzy,” Sutherland emotionally repeated in a phone call with her attorney, Meryl Poulin, from the hallway of the courthouse upon learning the jury’s decision, the Portland Press Herald reports.
Gynecomastia mainly affects males, causing benign breast enlargement from hormonal imbalances, but a similar, rare condition, called “gynecomastia-like changes,” can occur in females. According to research published by the National Library of Medicine, the incidence of female gynecomastia-like changes constitutes about 0.15% of all female breast lesions.
Jazzy was referred to Mid Coast Gynecology in July 2021 by her primary care provider at Martin’s Point in southern Maine, but the facility and gynecologist Dr. Danielle Salhany played a limited role in her care, an attorney for Mid Coast said, according to the Press Herald.
Most treatment occurred at Martin’s Point, where Jazzy was diagnosed with pneumonia and prescribed prednisone a week earlier. Sutherland initially sued Martin’s Point, too, but later dropped the case before the trial.
Following Jazzy’s death, it was discovered that the cardiac arrest she suffered was caused by fluid buildup due to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer that her attorneys stated is highly curable if diagnosed in time.
ALL targets immature white blood cells known as lymphocytes. This condition prevents the body from producing healthy blood cells, which can interfere with the immune system and normal blood functions. Common symptoms of ALL include general signs of illness and blood-related issues, such as fatigue, fever, night sweats, easy bruising, bleeding from the gums or nose, and bone pain.
Sutherland’s lawyers contended that Jazzy’s doctor at MCMG failed to review her medical history, neglected to check her vital signs fully, and did not provide the standard level of care.
The defense argued that medical staff face daily complex decisions and should not be penalized for every mistake, and that Jazzy’s primary-care provider, Martin’s Point Health Care, also shared responsibility.
The jury ultimately concluded that Mid Coast Medical Group acted negligently.
The Independent has contacted representatives for MaineHealth, which owns Mid Coast Medical Group.
