Medical Malpractice and Legal Issues News

• How PAs Can Avoid Malpractice: Go Back to Practice Basics A thorough medical history that focuses on diagnostics can help PAs steer clear of medical errors and their legal ramifications, a medico-legal consultant advises.
  Medscape Medical News, May 23, 2022
• 3M Ordered to Pay $77.5 Million to Veteran in Latest Earplug Trial A jury in Pensacola, Florida federal court ordered 3M Co to pay $77.5 million to a US Army veteran who said he suffered hearing damage as a result of using the company's military-issue earplugs.
  Reuters Health Information, May 20, 2022
• Doctor Accused of 'Fraudulent Concealment' Can't Be Held Liable Claim against hospital is halted as well.
  Medscape Business of Medicine, May 18, 2022
• Idaho Announces $119 Million Opioid Crisis Settlement Republican Gov. Brad Little and Republican Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said it's the second-largest consumer settlement in state history.
  Associated Press, May 13, 2022
• Massachusetts to Pay $56 Mln Over Deadly COVID Outbreak at Veterans' Home The state of Massachusetts on Thursday agreed to pay $56 million to resolve a lawsuit by families of veterans who contracted COVID-19 during an outbreak at a veterans' care center that killed 84 people early in the pandemic.
  Reuters Health Information, May 12, 2022
• 'Goodie Bag' Pill Mill Doctor Sentenced to Two Decades in Prison Regardless of the patients' complaints, internist gave them tote bags with prescription drugs, including muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, and controlled substances, according to federal officials.
  Medscape Medical News, May 11, 2022
• ASLMS 2022 Tattoo Removal Restores Dignity to Sex Trafficking Survivors The findings support a proposed ASLMS campaign that intends to connect sex trafficking survivors with board-certified physicians for pro bono removal of branding tattoos.
  Medscape Medical News, May 06, 2022
• Innocent Doc Sued After 'Secret' Med Expert Says Claim Has Merit In some states, plaintiffs can conceal the identity of experts used for affidavits of merit. Is this fair to physician defendants?
  Medscape Medical News, May 06, 2022
• California to Increase Awards in Medical Malpractice Cases Since 1975, state law has limited how much money patients can win for things that can't be counted — such as pain and suffering — to $250,000.
  Associated Press, April 28, 2022
• Walgreens, Teva Face San Francisco Trial Over Opioid Epidemic San Francisco will square off on Monday against Walgreens Boots Alliance and three other companies accused of fueling an opioid crisis in the city, the first trial to target manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies over the addictive pain medicines.
  Reuters Health Information, April 25, 2022
• US Charges 21 People With COVID-Related Fraud US law enforcement officials have charged 21 people across the country with healthcare schemes amid the pandemic as part of the administration's larger effort to thwart people from leveraging COVID-19 for fraud, the Department of Justice said on Wednesday.
  Reuters Health Information, April 20, 2022
• Doc Fails to Order Crucial Tests; Paralyzed Pt Wins $17M Jury cites failure to order crucial pre-op and post-op tests; provider-to-provider disputes not time sensitive, state high court says; paralyzed patient seeks millions.
  Medscape Business of Medicine, April 13, 2022
• Drunk, Sleeping Jurors During Virtual Malpractice Trials Attorneys share mishaps caused by careless jurors during virtual medical malpractice trials. Are virtual trials fair to physicians?
  Medscape Medical News, March 24, 2022
• Malpractice Suits Against Family Physicians Declined in 2021: Survey The drop is attributed in part to fewer face-to-face encounters with patients as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as gratitude toward healthcare providers.
  Medscape Medical News, March 22, 2022
• Physician Loses Right Leg, Sues Podiatrist; More Physician claims ill-advised treatment and total contact cast directly caused his injuries that led to amputation; doctor wins forceps-delivery suit; unsupervised PAs subject to med-mal cap, state says.
  Medscape Medical News, March 16, 2022
• Doc Sues Patient's Family and Wins After winning his malpractice case, urologist Arnaldo Trabucco fought back. Read about his legal journey and how he won an $8 million award.
  Medscape Medical News, March 16, 2022
• Rheumatologist Convicted of Million-Dollar Fraud Scheme Alice Chu, MD, is one of 48 people who were charged in 2019 as part of a larger enforcement action involving more than $160 million in fraudulent claims.
  Medscape Medical News, March 16, 2022
• More Than $8 Billion in COVID Aid Fraud Found "People bought vacation homes, Bentleys and Rolexes. We may not get all the money back, but that's not the only value in bringing these cases."
  WebMD Health News, March 14, 2022
• 12 Physicians Sentenced in Illegal Opioid, Billing Fraud Scheme Physicians and healthcare workers in Michigan and Ohio have been sentenced or charged in a scheme that involved the distribution of 6.6 million opioid pills and fraud totaling $250 million.
  Medscape Medical News, March 10, 2022
• Docs Faked Patient Visits and Orders; Caught in Telehealth Crime Many physicians took to seeing patients via telemedicine, and some found that it offered opportunities for crime; now, Feds may crack down on upcoding and similar actions.
  Medscape Medical News, March 09, 2022