Extreme Medical Malpractice Case in South Dakota Leaves Dozens Injured and Dead | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

The term sociopath gets thrown around a lot in movies and on TV. But what exactly defines a sociopath?  The definition states that sociopaths have little regard for the feelings of others and manipulate others in order to get what they desire.  That description fits a South Dakota doctor, Dr. Allen Sossan, who has been accused of botching almost three dozen surgeries that ended up maiming and even killing some patients.  Hopefully this revelation could spark a change in medical malpractice lawsuits in South Dakota where juries almost always side with doctors in court, making it nearly impossible for patients to prevail when they claim a doctor was negligent.

As Virginia (VA) medical malpractice lawyers we know that most doctors are not purposefully negligent like Dr. Sossan but this extreme case may help to change the notion that doctors are blameless when a patient is injured or dies.

The doctor in question has fled the country but victims of his malpractice are also filing lawsuits against the hospitals where he performed his surgeries.  They allege that Avera Sacred Heart and Lewis & Clark Specialty Hospital were negligent for credentialing Sossan to perform surgeries in their facilities. The hospitals, according to the lawsuits, knew Sossan had a history of performing unnecessary surgeries but gave him credentials anyway.  By choosing to reap the benefits of revenue generated by the botched surgeries, the hospitals seem to have turned a blind eye to patient well-being.  Reports state that they ignored patient injuries, allowed unnecessary surgeries and concerns expressed by nurses and other physicians regarding Dr. Sossan.

Acts of medical malpractice by negligent doctors aren’t just confined to South Dakota nor are the biases and stigmas that medical malpractice claims are often fraught with.  In fact, medical malpractice may be more common than you think. Each year, thousands upon thousands of people are affected by the mistakes of hospitals, surgeons, and doctors – and the majority never file medical malpractice claims. Recent medical malpractice statistics report that 225,000 people die each year due to medical malpractice.  This is why the lawyers at our Virginia (VA) personal injury firm have created a free patient guide called, “Top Ten Tips from Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyers.”  We hope this guide will help victims of medical malpractice find the compensation they deserve for their life-altering injuries.

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