8 replies to this topic

[LaffyTaffy]

I am writing a paper about medical malpractice involving botched surgeries. I need an opinion about patients suing over surgeries resulting in paralysis and receiving large sums of money. Anyone's opinion would be great!

[The Black Sheep]

My opinion won't be very useful to you, but about 2 years after my paralysis we saw a lawyer about potentially going after the makers of Depro Provara. When I was 13 I had received the shot from a clinic while I was very sick with mono. Less than a month later I was paralyzed. When I was 15 I considered going back on the shot because it stops menstral bleeding for 3 months. I was having a very difficult time managing being in a wheelchair and having excessive bleeding during my period. My mom was going to administer the shot because she's a nurse, but we got the perscription from a doctor. On the warning label read "In rare cases may cause paralysis", which is when a red flag went up. I, nor my parents, were ever told the side effects of the drug, and at the time we still had no real explanation for my paralysis, so we sought a lawyer. There was a question about whether I'd been one of the lone coincidences, where it just happened at a bad time, or if it may have been the drug itself that backfired while I was very ill. The clinic I'd gotten the first shot at was aware that I was very sick, and it was still given, but they may not ever guessed something like this reaction could happen.

Long story-short - nothing ever came out of it. There was not enough evidence or any cases like mine related to the drug or the clinic. I still don't believe it was the drug that caused it, but the warning label was what initially made us question it.

Your description says you're a parent of a C3. Just out of curiousity, are you possibly seeking legal advice for your child, or is it a paper or some research that brought you here?

[LaffyTaffy]

The Black Sheep, on 30 October 2010 - 07:05 PM, said:

My opinion won't be very useful to you, but about 2 years after my paralysis we saw a lawyer about potentially going after the makers of Depro Provara. When I was 13 I had received the shot from a clinic while I was very sick with mono. Less than a month later I was paralyzed. When I was 15 I considered going back on the shot because it stops menstral bleeding for 3 months. I was having a very difficult time managing being in a wheelchair and having excessive bleeding during my period. My mom was going to administer the shot because she's a nurse, but we got the perscription from a doctor. On the warning label read "In rare cases may cause paralysis", which is when a red flag went up. I, nor my parents, were ever told the side effects of the drug, and at the time we still had no real explanation for my paralysis, so we sought a lawyer. There was a question about whether I'd been one of the lone coincidences, where it just happened at a bad time, or if it may have been the drug itself that backfired while I was very ill. The clinic I'd gotten the first shot at was aware that I was very sick, and it was still given, but they may not ever guessed something like this reaction could happen.

Long story-short - nothing ever came out of it. There was not enough evidence or any cases like mine related to the drug or the clinic. I still don't believe it was the drug that caused it, but the warning label was what initially made us question it.

Your description says you're a parent of a C3. Just out of curiousity, are you possibly seeking legal advice for your child, or is it a paper or some research that brought you here?

I needed to do a research paper for my Medical Law class. However, I have a son who is a paraplegic from his car accident. I'm sorry about your incident and just don't give up. He's doing great! He's graduated from college in computer networking and now lives on his own. Thanks for responding. I just needed a public opinion on whether people involved in malpractice like this should sue. I know that I would b/c I know how it changes your life since I helped my son until he moved to go to college.

[h0twheelz]

I think that one has every right to sue over medical malpractice... Im sure many others not paralyzed or others that have no idea of what it can take to do daily activities (especially the first couple years)may just brush it off and say get over it. Just a sorry or it was a mistake wouldnt be enough, because that individual will never be the same again. Money wouldnt be able to make them "normal" again, but it would compensate them somewhat. A lawsuit doesnt always have to be about money, its about justice. I do realize that there are some people out there that thinks the world owes them everything, and would sue over almost anything, but a major life change such as paralysis, or even death would be great grounds for a lawsuit.

[jscott92064]

LaffyTaffy, on 30 October 2010 - 05:52 PM, said:

I am writing a paper about medical malpractice involving botched surgeries. I need an opinion about patients suing over surgeries resulting in paralysis and receiving large sums of money. Anyone's opinion would be great!

My husband and I have a current lawsuit against our surgeon. What type of opinion are you looking for? How hard it is to bring a case and be successful? How about the "mafia" feeling when other doctors say, yep - medical malpractice, but then freak and shake with fear when they hear the name of the surgeon? All of a sudden it goes from "anger" and "disgust" to what happened to "ooo, I am scared to testify formally". I'm in the middle of this fight and expect our case to go to trial (or settlement late 2011 or early 2012.)

Edited by jscott92064, 03 November 2010 - 08:04 PM.

[jscott92064]

Post deleted at members request.

Edited by Apparelyzed, 07 November 2010 - 11:00 AM.
Personal information removed

[edlee]

The above sums it up nicely. You know it was negligence,,, other doctors know it and tell you the same,, but noone with medical credentials will put it on formal documents or appear in court to testify to it,,,, what will get you the money??? A persistent enough attorney,, maybe,,,, a sympathetic jury,,, probably ( often appealled),,,, ????

They will pay,,, but only as much as it takes to shut you up,, cause without one of their own ( and they DO band together) to back you up,, getting a jury to find them guilty is a pretty shaky proposition.

I wish you all luck.
ed

[VARVARA]

HELLO, I AM LOOKING FOR MALPRACTICE.., AFTER FBSS AND SURGEON HIDE IT,I CONTINUOUS TO HAVE PARALYZE MY PARTS OF BODY, NO ONE FROM DOCTORS CAN NOT HELP ME. PLEASE SUGGEST IF YOU KNOW E-MAIL HARHUN@GMAIL.COM

POST operative root level L5 radiculopathy and foot drop
After two weeks of severe back and leg pain and weakness in April 2009 I had lumbar laminectomy to remove a disk fragment impingement of L5.
After surgery I have foot drop, numbness and weakness in my leg. I experience burning pain and 'radio wave' sensation in my back and leg. These symptoms are gradually increasing in severity and frequency over time, since the surgery.
MEG test performed on 5/19/2010 showed: no response and reduced amplitude in peroneal motor nerve, and prolonged distal onset latency and reduced amplitude in tibial motor nerve consistent with severe chronic left L5 lumbar AP root level lesion.
Past 1 and half year, my foot complicit paralyze and spread out on up parts of body knee, hips I really worry about progress illness like paraplegia or quadriplegia
My treatment postoperatively has been focused on managing the symptoms with gabapentine, anti-inflammatory and pain medication. I am wearing an ankle-foot arthosis to help with balance and walking, now arthosis does not help to keep balance, week knee and hip and difficulty to walk

QUESTIONS: There are posibal some treatment in my problem TO STOP PROGRESSING PARALYZE MY PARTS OF BODY

Edited by VARVARA, 13 December 2010 - 07:29 PM.

[Kirkly]

I didn't have any luck after my surgery. I've never been told exactly what went wrong with my surgery. I had a herniated disc removed and they tried a disc fusion at the c5-c6 level and added a titanium plate. The fusion was only was partial. When the pain didn't go away and I started to look for another doctor, they would look at my MRI's and simply say "Sorry I can't help you". I finally had one neurologist that said something was wrong with my spinal cord and pointed it out on my MRI but didn't want to treat me. He just said the pain would continue to get worse so I started looking for an attorney. I couldn't find anyone to pick up the case. I finally found one attorney, but she quickly dropped me when I didn't have to money to pay doctors to examine me when the case was suppose to be done on contingency that she actually got compensation.

I think it's just getting harder to go after doctors. I am currently on disability and have ended up with more medical problems from the spinal cord injury as the years continue. Good luck with your paper. I hope someone actually finds compensation from doctors that make huge mistakes. I never ask my neurologist now what exactly happened because if he tells me then it puts him on the line and risks me losing a doctor, one that was very hard to find.