Maine Jury Awards $25M Wrongful Death Damages Over Teen Leukemia Misdiagnosis

A Maine jury awarded $25 million to Lyndsey Sutherland for the wrongful death of her 15-year-old daughter, Jasmine "Jazzy" Vincent, who died in 2021 after being misdiagnosed by Mid Coast Medical Group. Jazzy initially exhibited symptoms such as sore, swollen breasts and respiratory issues but was misdiagnosed with gynecomastia, a condition primarily affecting men using anabolic steroids, rather than acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a treatable pediatric cancer. The jury found the medical providers negligent for failing to order appropriate tests like X-rays and vital checks that could have revealed Jazzy's leukemia. Jazzy's condition worsened rapidly, leading to cardiac arrest just 18 days after symptoms began. Sutherland's attorneys emphasized the verdict as a message holding medical providers accountable for failing to meet minimum standards of care, while the medical group declined to comment. The case highlighted the tragic consequences of diagnostic errors and the importance of thorough medical evaluation, with the verdict potentially capped by Maine state law but serving as a strong statement of justice for Jazzy and her family.