A Case Study in All That Can Go Wrong

It has been nearly a year since actor Bill Paxton passed away on February 25th, 2017 due to complications from heart surgery. Millions mourned a man who left an indelible mark on the motion picture industry, recognizing that all medical procedures carry risk, and assuming that due to his fame and wealth Paxton must have received the very best treatment money can buy. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

Paxton’s family recently filed suit against the hospital and the surgeon who performed the procedure. As more and more information has come out, it has become clearer and clearer that Paxton suffered from a series of bad decisions by his physician, decisions that are far too common. These decisions include:

• Recommending an unnecessary and dangerous version of a procedure that was not indicated by the medical history
• Utilizing techniques the surgeon had limited experience with, without proper notification of the patient
• Failure to follow up, with the surgeon failing to monitor the patient post-op or even insuring a proper care protocol was in place as Mr. Paxton was in recovery

This case is making national news because of the high profile of the victim, but it truly is a case study in the myriad ways doctors fail their patients. Thousands of people a year suffer from similar terrible medical decisions, but their cases do not make national news.

If you or someone you love has suffered due to surgical malpractice, a full investigation is necessary. Oftentimes the hospital and physician will attempt to minimize the role of medical malfeasance in causing death or injury to a patient. An experienced attorney can help you ensure the medical establishment is held accountable for their failures.