Removal of Healthy Lung Disables, Kills Patient

Virginia (VA) Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Offices in VA Beach, Hampton & Elizabeth City, NC

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

8/12/2009
Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton
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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, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have extensive experience handling medical malpractice and doctor mistake cases. Please take a few moments to review our medical malpractice case results. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, VA, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia, including Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Newport News and Suffolk, VA, if you've been seriously hurt by the carelessness of a doctor, surgeon, nurse or pharmacist.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been recognized as among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Also, Rick and Jim have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010. Fewer than 5 percent of lawyers are chosen for this professional honor.

Members of our VA personal injury law firm have also been selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Our VA medical malpractice 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 five surgical errors you must know about.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer free initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail so we can return your call.

Virginia Super Lawyers

We offer free special reports on the Top 10 Tips from a Medical Malpractice Insider and the top five surgical errors you must know about.

Virginia Super Lawyers

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Removal of Healthy Lung Disables, Kills Patient

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