08/02/2013 // jcreiterlaw // The Law Firm of Jonathan C. Reiter // (press release)
Faked surgeries can be a shocking occurrence for any patient who has been the victim of this type of medical malpractice. Recent reports about New York orthopedic surgeon Dr. Spyros Panos charging patients for surgeries that he never actually performed has brought the troubling issue to light, and illustrates the difficulty in uncovering the truth in such cases.
According to a report by Good Morning America, one of Panos’ patients, Mary Jeanne Altieri, discovered the issue in her case after Dr. Panos performed a shoulder surgery on her in 2005 for a torn rotator cuff. When four years later the pain she had been experiencing failed to subside she was forced to undergo a second procedure. After seeking a second opinion, and then a third, she was told that her failure to see improvement in her condition was due to Panos never operating on her.
Altieri is quoted in the report as stating, “I felt betrayed. I felt anger…And I felt so stupid for not being more aware of what was going on.”
As noted in the Good Morning American report, experts suggest that in cases like these, patients cannot typically detect that a surgery was never performed on their own, and must rely on another doctor to uncover evidence of their previous surgery if they have suspicions. Although many hospitals have implemented controls to prevent medical malpractice or errors from occurring, rare instances of deceptive surgeries and medical mismanagement can still happen.
Patients can help safeguard themselves from falling victim to this type of malpractice by thoroughly researching physicians prior to any procedure and obtaining recommendations from sources that are reliable. In the event that one does fall victim to any type of medical malpractice, contacting an experienced medical malpractice lawyer can help them recover compensation for damages and hold liable parties responsible.
The New York medical malpractice attorneys (http://jcreiterlaw.com) of The Law Firm of Jonathan C. Reiter can help medical malpractice victims understand their legal rights in these matters. Individuals with questions about their legal options for a specific medical malpractice issue can contact the law firm today for a free case evaluation.
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