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Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

8/12/2009
John Cooper
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Removal of Healthy Lung Disables, Kills Patient

Richard Flagg's days became numbered the instant a New Jersey (NJ) surgical team cut out his healthy lung instead of the one containing a bleeding tumor in 2000. That surgery error made Flagg dependent on oxygen bottles and wheelchairs until his death in 2003.

Flagg's story is one of many told in a series of investigative reports done for Hearst newspapers and published this past weekend on the website Dead By Mistake. My colleague Rick Shapiro wrote yesterday how botched surgeries, hospital-caused infections, inappropriate prescriptions and other medical errors prove fatal to as many as 200,000 Americans each year. Not addressed only because Virginia does not have a Hearst newspaper, the situation is no better here in the Commonwealth.

I'm focusing on Flagg because he did not suffer silently. Rather, he advocated for his rights and the rights of other victims of medical and surgical malpractice and negligence. Flagg twice traveled to Washington, D.C. (DC), in the early part of this decade to block so-called "tort reform." Once again put on the table under the rubric of health reform, tort reform means no less than a government-mandated limit on how much victims of mistakes by doctors, surgeons and pharmacists can collect.

The federal bill Flagg protested did not pass.

Patients harmed by malpractice and negligence require justice. The Hearst investigations and the courageous example of Richard Flagg make this more apparent than ever.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have extensive experience handling medical malpractice cases. Please take a moment to review our medical malpractice case results and visit our blog dedicated exclusively to medical malpractice and surgical error issues. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia if you've been seriously hurt by a doctor's carelessness. While not every injury case meets our criteria, we off a free, initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail and we will return your call promptly.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included among the "Best Lawyers in America" 2010 Edition. Rick and Jim, along with fellow attorney John Cooper were named Virginia "Super Lawyers" For Personal Injury Law (2010, less than 5% of lawyers are chosen). Members of the firm have also been selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2009). In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical, respected law firms. Our firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

We offer free special reports on the Top 10 Tips from a Medical Malpractice Insider and the Top 5 Surgical Errors You Must Know About. Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a public information service. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube.

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Main VA Office
1294 Diamond Springs Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Phone: (757)-460-7776
Fax: (757)-460-3428
Toll Free: 1-800-752-0042

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Mill Point Center
101 Eaton Street
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Phone: (757)-788-8162

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