The former patients of a surgeon recently filed lawsuits against the hospital that hosted him, arguing that it had knowledge that the doctor was an “an egomaniac, mentally ill, an alcoholic, drug addict or a combination thereof.”
The lawsuits allege that the hospital, Baylor Plano, risked the lives of patients by allowing Dr. Christopher Duntsch to perform surgeries despite having knowledge of Duntsch’s history of unethical behavior. The medical malpractice suits also explain that Dr. Duntsch botched numerous surgeries at Baylor Plano that further evidenced his incompetency, yet he was allowed to continue performing surgeries.
Some of Duntsch’s former patients include:
- The family of a woman who died from massive blood loss resulting from Duntsch’s botching of her surgery
- Duntsch’s former roommate and best friend who became a quadriplegic after Duntsch urged him to have surgery and then made surgical mistakes
- A former patient who suffered partial paralysis during his operation
The lawsuits contain shocking details, such as Duntsch’s roommate witnessing the doctor using drugs the night before the operation.
Duntsch’s former patients have a tough legal battle against Baylor Plano Hospital because Texas law requires them to prove that the hospitals acted with much more than mere negligence, but with malice – a lofty burden.
In most surgical error cases, the victim or surviving family has plenty of parties to seek compensation from and does not have to prove more than negligence to recover money damages.
Still, proving negligence in medical malpractice cases is quite difficult. Most states have enacted legislation that imposes serious legal obstacles for injured patients, the sad result of a myth-based war on frivolous medical lawsuits.
If you think you have a serious injury or wrongful death malpractice case, an experienced medical negligence attorney can help you explore your legal options.
McKeen & Associates, PC, is a prominent civil justice law firm focused on helping medical malpractice victims throughout the U.S. Based in Detroit, Michigan, the firm has an outstanding track record of helping injured patients and families get the compensation they deserve.
Source: ABC’s WFAA.com, “Lawsuits Allege Baylor Plano Let ‘Dangerous’ Doctor Opoerate,” Brett Shipp, Feb. 10, 2014
