Georgia woman sues over wrong cancer diagnosis, unnecessary surgery
Cassandra Barksdale is suing Kaiser Permanente and lab staff after she had a total hysterectomy over a cancer misdiagnosis, according to court filings. (FOX5)
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - A Fulton County woman is suing multiple Kaiser Permanente entities and laboratory staff after a mislabeled tissue sample led to an unnecessary total hysterectomy, according to court documents.
Kaiser Permanente medical lawsuit
What we know:
Cassandra Barksdale, 43, filed the personal injury lawsuit in the State Court of Clayton County on Tuesday against Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Permanente Insurance Company, and senior laboratory information analyst Cecelia Prestridge.
The filing claims Barksdale sought treatment for uterine fibroids and bleeding at Kaiser Permanente Southwood Comprehensive Medical Center in Jonesboro in early 2025 before a March 10, 2025, biopsy led to an incorrect diagnosis of aggressive endometrial uterine cancer.
Misdiagnosis leads to surgery
What Happened:
Based on the lab findings, Barksdale was referred to a specialist at Northside Hospital and underwent a total hysterectomy on May 15, 2025, where surgeons removed her cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and four lymph nodes, the filing states.
Although post-surgical lab reports in May 2025 showed no malignancy, staff informed her in July 2025 that she had cancer and needed to await further instructions, the suit says.
On Sept. 23, 2025, Kaiser Permanente administrators admitted to Barksdale that DNA testing revealed the cancerous tissue belonged to someone else, the lawsuit says. Quest Diagnostics formally notified her in December 2025 to disregard the initial biopsy results.
The lawsuit alleges chain-of-custody failures and negligence, demanding a jury trial for compensatory damages over $10,000 alongside legal fees. Barksdale is represented by Atlanta attorneys Roderick Edmond, M.D.,J.D., Shannan Young, Pharm.D., J.D and Clark Edmond of The Edmond Firm.
Patient suffers permanent harm
What they're saying:
"For almost four months, Mrs. Barksdale waited in fear and anguish for her next instructions about her supposed "cancer" treatment," attorneys from The Edmond Firm told FOX 5 Atlanta.
Legal counsel added, "The trauma she sustained is solely because the hospital failed at one of the most fundamental responsibilities in medicine: correct patient identification."
FOX 5 Atlanta has reached out to Kaiser Permanente and Cecelia Prestridge for further comment on the lawsuit.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from court documents filed in the State Court of Clayton County, as well as a press release provided to FOX 5 Atlanta by Atlanta attorneys of The Edmond Firm.