Several patients of a New Mexico cardiac surgeon are suing him, alleging that he faked diagnoses and then implanted unnecessary pacemakers. Unnecessary cardiac surgery is becoming the new big thing. Maryland’s claim to fame: the unraveling may have started with us.
“A decision to let a nearly $1.7 million medical malpractice verdict stand against a local hospital came down to five words from the hospital’s lawyer at the end of trial: ‘Okay. Alright. Thank you.’” This was a 3-2 decision. On jury polling. Seriously? Has a civil case ever flipped on jury polling? Goodness, this is deep in the form over substance textbook.
You’re not supposed to raid your state’s med-mal compensation fund to help balance the budget. Then again, why do these guys have so much extra money lying around in their malpractice fund?