Do You Trust Your Medical Provider?

Family, friends and loved ones of a Tennessee woman are grieving from what they feel is her untimely death due to medical malpractice. In the lawsuit, the gastroenterologist who had overseen the woman’s care for several years is accused of not supplying “the minimum standard of acceptable practice,” leading to her untimely death.

The family is seeking $4 million in compensatory damages in what they view as, medical malpractice resulting in wrongful death.

What Went Wrong?

According to the lawsuit, the gastroenterologist charged with the woman’s care performed the first surgery in 2013. She died in May of 2018. In those five years of care, the family says that the following exemplifies a grave failure to provide the minimum standard of care.

• Polyp removal. In a 2013 surgery, the doctor was to remove a polyp from the patient’s colon. The lawsuit states that he failed to remove the polyp fully.
• Same polyp removal. Again in 2016, the women underwent a procedure to have the polyp removed and again, the lawsuit states that it was only partially removed.
• Colonoscopy. In 2016, the lawsuit claims that the doctor performed a colonoscopy and although he considered a surgical consultation at the time, he failed to inform the patient.

In February of 2018, the doctor named in the lawsuit discovered extensive cancer throughout the woman’s liver and most of her lymph nodes. In March of 2018, she was given weeks, to perhaps months, to live. She died in May of 2018, and five months later, her grieving family had filed a lawsuit on the grounds of medical malpractice and wrongful death.

As we know, doctors take an oath that requires them to abide by a strict code of conduct. This code of conduct aims to ensure the safety of the patients whose lives often rely on the doctor overseeing their care. If there is ever doubt about the quality of care by a medical professional, an investigation is advisable. If it turns out that the provider is dangerous, the public ought to know.