Doctors' failures resulted in metastatic prostate cancer, man says

CHARLESTON - A Kanawha County man has filed a medical malpractice suit against two doctors, claiming their failure to treat him properly resulted in the formation of metastatic prostate cancer.

James L. Elkins filed a suit Nov. 14 in Kanawha Circuit Court against doctors Bashir Sankari and Mark Douglas.

Sankari is an urologist who began seeing Elkins in October 2001. Douglas is in osteopathic medicine and began seeing Elkins in September 2001.

In 2002, Elkins was diagnosed with prostate cancer and treated by the defendants. Then, during a routine appointment in 2005, Douglas informed Elkins that he had not had his PSA checked in two years. Douglas took blood for the PSA test.

"Subsequent testing revealed that Elkins' condition had progressed and he now has metastatic prostate cancer," the suit says.

According to the suit, the doctors failed to provide follow-up care and testing, which led to the development of the prostate cancer.

Elkins claims he suffered bodily injuries, both temporary and permanent, suffered physical pain and mental anguish, disfigurement and deformities and medical expenses.

Betty Elkins, who is also named as a plaintiff, claims she has suffered great and irreparable loss in that she has suffered a loss of comfort, society, convenience and consortium to and from her husband.

James and Betty Elkins seek compensatory damages economic and non-economic losses as allowable under the Medical Professional Liability Act, plus all other relief.

Attorney Richard D. Lindsay is representing Elkins. The case has been assigned to Judge James Stucky.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number 07-C-2457