AUSTIN, Texas. The New York Times reports that a doctor is being sued after it was discovered that she was recording videos of herself dancing during surgery. Lawyers representing clients who are suing the doctor for medical malpractice discovered videos that the doctor had been posting online to YouTube. This discovery occurred after the doctor had already been facing malpractice lawsuits from other patients.
The doctor, who is a dermatologist and who reportedly performs cosmetic procedures, was suspended when the Georgia medical board learned that a patient in her care had to be rushed to the hospital for a collapsed lung and blood loss. A patient who is suing claims that the doctor was dancing when she should have been focusing on the surgery. Nine other patients have also sued the doctor, claiming medical negligence, with 100 other patients reported by the Times as issuing complaints. Patients report that the doctor’s surgeries have left them disfigured, and, in one case, a patient claims the surgery resulted in brain injury.
One lawyer representing a patient claimed that the doctor was practicing medicine outside her specialty.
The case highlights several facts about personal injury cases. First of all, from the standpoint of the patients, the videos offer proof that the doctor was distracted while performing surgery and was not always focused on the task at hand. Secondly, the videos show how risky posting on social media can be when it comes to personal injury lawsuits. Of course, this is an egregious example of unprofessional conduct, but as the boundaries between business and personal, private and public get blurred, some individuals may have difficulty knowing what is and isn’t appropriate. At the end of the day, if you are in the middle of a personal injury lawsuit or a lawsuit of any kind, it is generally not a good idea to be posting videos or content to social media.
The videos are not only in bad taste, but they could also be violating patient’s right to privacy. It doesn’t appear from the accounts that patients gave that the doctor permission to post their surgeries publicly.
How can patients protect themselves from medical malpractice? When it comes to elective surgery, CNN suggests that patients research the facility where the procedure will be performed, and that they ask that surgeries be performed in a hospital or ambulatory medical center. Patients are also wise to check a doctor’s medical credentials before moving forward with any elective procedure.
Yet, even the most diligent patients can still end up hurt if a doctor makes a medical error. The Robson Law Firm are medical malpractice lawyers in Austin, Texas who work closely with victims and families who have been hurt due to the actions of a doctor or hospital. If you or a loved one has been hurt, you may be entitled to seek damages for your medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Visit our firm at https://robsonlawfirm.com/ to learn more.
Robson Law Firm
1114 Lost Creek Boulevard
Suite 440
Austin, TX 78746
Phone: (512) 345-8200