Woman says medical personnel negligent in treating cancer

CHARLESTON - A Kanawha County woman has filed a suit against a medical company, claiming the negligence of employees in the office caused her cancer to go undiagnosed and untreated for two years.

Sharon Templeton filed a suit Nov. 27 in Kanawha Circuit Court against West Virginia Physicians for Women and her personal physician, Randall J. Hill. David Templeton, Sharon's husband, is also named as a plaintiff in the suit.

According to the case, Sharon Templeton went to Hill in February 1998 for a routine gynecologic exam. During the exam, Hill found a suspicious lump on Templeton's left breast and referred her to Associated Radiologists for a mammogram.

However, the mammogram resulted in a report, which found "no radiographic evidence of malignancy," the suit says.

In November 1998, Templeton went to Hill again, who once more found a suspicious lump. Templeton went through the recommended mammogram, and has an ultrasound of her left breast. The tests found no ultrasonographic abnormalities.

Finally, in April 2000, Templeton was diagnosed by biopsy as having a malignant mass in her left breast. The mass had gone untreated and undiagnosed for two years.

Templeton claims the defendants were negligent by failing to provide her with necessary prompt, recognized and reasonable medical care and treatment for the cancerous mass in her left breast, which deprived her of the chance of a complete cure that prompt care and treatment would have afforded her, the suit says.

Templeton claims she has incurred medical and hospital bills for care and treatment in excess of $65,000.

David Templeton claims he has been deprived of his wife's society, companionship, consortium and services. Together, Sharon and David Templeton seek recovery of any damages they have incurred.

Attorney Frank M. Armada is representing the Templetons. The case has been assigned to Judge Jennifer Bailey Walker.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number 07-C-2538