HONESDALE, Pa. — It's been more than five months since 16-year-old Samson Fluck died unexpectedly, and now the family is suing.
The family hired personal injury attorney, Matthew Casey, to handle the case.
Samson's family says he was a healthy and active teenager, who played several sports, so when he was complaining of chest pain and was having a hard time breathing, they were concerned.
According to the lawsuit, on November 3, Samson and his mother went to the emergency room at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale.
Casey says some preliminary blood work was done, along with a chest X-ray.
After examining the X-rays, a radiologist made a note that there was an abnormality and recommended a CT scan.
According to the lawsuit, that scan was never done.
Instead, Samson's mother says they were told everything was normal and that he just had a combination of a cold and strep throat.
"This was known on this day prior to Samson being discharged from the emergency department," Casey said.
Samson was sent home from Wayne Memorial, but two days later, his condition worsened.
Samson, struggling to breathe, collapsed, and his stepmother called 911.
He was taken back to Wayne Memorial, where he died.
"He was grabbing at his throat and telling his stepmother I can't breathe. I can't breathe. And the reason he couldn't breathe is this mass that they knew that he had was compromising his airway," said Casey.
Casey says an autopsy revealed the mass was a treatable form of cancer, and doctors had all the information to make a proper diagnosis.
"What should have been the luckiest day of his life? Turned out to be the worst and unluckiest day of his life and his heartbroken parents' life, and it never should have happened," Casey said.
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