Conference quark::human_relations-v1

    Uh, may I suggest "First Things First".  
    
    Malpractice suits are one thing, but the most important aspect
    of this situation is that your friend is addicted, and needs help.
    
    Try to get your friend into a drug rehabilitation hospital as soon as
    possible. Contact EAP for help and recommendations.
    
    					andrew 
    
    

    
    re .1  This has been done already, they're told it will cost upwards
    of $10,000.00 dollars.  An amount they just cannot afford.
    
    re .2  The medical community has had over a year and a half to set
    things right.  Taking this doctor to the AMA medical board can be
    handled just as competantly by a good lawyer.
    
    Please understand me, everything that can be done HAS been done.
    Every avenue has been examined, every option explored.
      
      My friends have gone to UMASS medical center and she is in their
    care now.  Although UMASS has not completely diagnosed the problem 
    at least they are doing what they can in a professional manner.
      Unfortunatly they have to slowly bring her off of the multiple
    drugs shes been hooked on before they can attempt to cure her. 
    This say doctors at UMASS medical, will take upwards of a year before
    her system is stable enough to treat effectively.
    
      What this first doctor did is to basiclly say:  "oh headaches huh? 
    Here take these"  Then severe blackouts start because the doctor dosen't 
    perform some basic medical checks necessary before administering beta 
    blocking drugs and the doctor says "blacking out huh? Here take some 
    more of these."  The dosages he perscribed to her, in the opinion
    of the doctors of UMASS Medical were 6 times greater than the maximum
    amount they would allow.
    
      They have run up a medical bill so large that they may go bankrupt
    because of it, and most of it is for things that were not necessary 
    in the opinion of the staff of UMASS Medical Center.
    
      If anyone can give a reference of a good lawyer specializing in
    malpractice suits, please let me know, either here on off line.
    
    
    Dave

    Re .2
    
    Do you really believe that the medical community is going to sanction
    or heaven forbid, disbar(?), one of their own?  The medical boards
    tend to be such a joke it is not funny.  If a guy loses his license
    in one state, he simply moves to another state.  This then simply
    moves the problem out of our back yard.
    
    By going to court, the doctor is hit in the only place he/she
    understands, the wallet.
    
    Don't get me wrong, there are many good doctors that really care.
     But, I don't believe that there are anywhere as many as there used
    to be.  I also don't have any faith in either the AMA or ABA (American
    Bar Association) policing themselves.  They just have proven time
    and again that they are totally incapable of doing it.
    
    Ed..
    

    I have heard (and seen commercials) of a furm that SPECIALIZES in
    this sort of thing.  
    James Sokolov (sp) and affiliates  check em out...

    I am not saying that the person should not go to another doctor,
    or whatever.  It sounds like they have, anyway.  What I am saying
    is that the particular doctor in question should be slapped with
    malpractice so hard it will make his head swim.  What good does
    it do to go through the medical review boards, when you will not
    get any monetary remuneration for the pain and suffering that you
    are put through?
    
    And I still stand by my belief that in the medical review board,
    with very few extreme cases, you must prove beyond any shadow of
    doubt that the doctor was negligent and not yourself or some other
    factor.  That is very difficult.  Especially when most people, myself
    included, probably could not discuss the case in proper medical
    terminology.
    
    Ed..
    

<    And I still stand by my belief that in the medical review board,
<    with very few extreme cases, you must prove beyond any shadow of
<    doubt that the doctor was negligent and not yourself or some other
<    factor.  That is very difficult.  Especially when most people, myself
<    included, probably could not discuss the case in proper medical
<    terminology.
    
	I believe Ed is correct in thinking that the medical review
       boards are rather reluctant to censure other doctors. When they
       do it is frequently a mere slap on the hand. In 1971 I was called
       into surgery to x-ray a woman who was being operated on by a
       DRUNK doctor. He had pierced her bladder with a hip pin when he
       lost control of his hands. The head nurse had tried to keep him
       out of surgery but was over-ridden. The final outcome? He was
       barred from operating at the hospital it occured at for 3 months.
       At the other 2 hospitals in town he was allowed to continue
       operating. 

	After 7 years of hospital work I've not got any illusions about
       the nobility of doctors (or most anybody else for that matter).
       liesl
       

    
    
      Sorry for causing the start of a debate. ;^) 
     
      Actually, all I really wanted was a few names (I've gotten two)
    of some lawyers who specialize in malpractice suits.  Sokolov
    (sp) I would consider an ambulance chaser and would only recommend
    that firm as a last, "turn loose the dogs on the SOB", resort.  
    
      I'd prefer a respected and established lawyer that could advise 
    my friends as to the best course of action to take and has the 
    resources (read expert medical advice) to ensure there is enough 
    justification for a suit.
    
      Perhaps this lawyer would advise my friends to report this guy
    to the AMA etc instead of going to court, but I think that the 
    lawyer should be the one to advise them to do this, lest it cause 
    problems such as those mentioned in one of the other replies.
                                          
    
    Thanks again all, and I welcome any further lawyer firm 
    recommendations anyone puts forth.
    
    
    
    Dave

    Mark Schreiber in Boston has a good professional reputation and
    practices exclusively (I think) in the medical and employment
    malpractice areas.  But consult him rather than an associate.
    
    						=maggie 

    Referral   Atty John Mee is with the firm of Johnson & Johnson and
    Mee.  They are located in Boston at 1 Whittier Place, the telephone
    number is 617-227-8900, sorry the address is 8 Whittier Place.
    It would most likely be a good idea to seek out a Nuerologist for
    the headaches - UMASS has many good ones located there.  Good luck.
    
    

    re .12  THOTH::BISHOP
    
      Thank you.
    
    
    Dave

It's been awhile since you posted your base note, but if you're still seeking
legal help I have a recommendation.

My good friend Linda Trowbridge, now at DEC on node MSCSSE, worked for a law 
firm in Boston that specialized in malpractice suits. Very reputable folks.
She sent me the following info to pass on to you:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The lawyers I used to work for are:

SCHLICHTMANN, CONWAY, CROWLEY & HUGO .. the person to ask for
is bill crowley and the person should drop my name.

171 milk street
boston, ma    2nd floor.
(617)423-9777 

make sure he mentions my name it will help.

lindat
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good luck,
	   Sue

    
    
    re .14
    
      Thank you Susan, and thank Linda for me also.  My friends have
    not been able to make any progress as of yet.  The firms they did
    contact said that unless the claim was for more than $80k it was
    not worth their while to persue the matter.  Perhaps this firm will
    feel differently.
    
    
    Dave