For those who insist that the American jury system is simply pro-plaintiff, you need to look at the case of Lisa Strong, 44. The mother of two went to a hospital for kidney stones and ended up losing both her arms and legs. A jury in Fort Lauderdale, Florida rule in favor the defendant doctors and South Broward Hospital District across the board.
Strong went to the Memorial Hospital West in 2004 for the kidney stones and experienced what the doctors described as complications.
After the surgery, Strong had a series of heart attacks that restricted blood flow to her limbs.
For the full story, click here.
Let us all get real. The Medical Field in Florida has become nothing more than a Political Group(s). Many attorneys will disclaim this, but follow the trail of Florida Medical, the politicians and the money forked out by various special interest groups. The State of Florida Quality Control have sent out numerous letters stating surgeons, hospitals, doctors, etc., do wrong, but nothing they do is illegal therefor the State can take no action. Cap on Suites? Humorous statement. FMA has already placed a cap on settlements, just behind the public awareness and not out in Florida Legislation. The power of the vote is not provided, it is purchased by the Medical Fields behind the scenes. The area in which this case was heard a is highly Medical Political Motivated location. Challenge my words, and then return with research and prove me wrong. Florida oversees the Hospitals, places them into compromised financial situations, brings in the Big Guys (American Cancer Society who help the State Run Programs behind public awareness, Komen, who help protect, disqualify and provide ‘grants’ to the local media to cover what they actually do, and do not forget the previous run CDC center that forked out millions if not billions into the budgets behind closed doors, while the Hospitals scream they have no funds the doctors cry poverty as they collect hidden from public view grants, privileges and immunity few other states permit.) Even attorney’s are in on the Games, especially if they work for any State Related Agency. The Culprits lie in the Florida Medical Association, who support numerous Medical Boards, who then collect to help politicians from each of the Medical related Licensed Doctors.
This was one case, that I would run, not walk into a Federal Court and by pass the State litigation system, because in Florida, we have few if any who have not been fooled by the politics of Florida Medicines. What is paramount is, where are the steps proving the State took Action to ensure no other experienced such? If as the attorney stated, people simply go into a Hospital and come out harmed by default, then why do all the National Studies show it is the Negligence of the Hospitals and the State Regulations that cause the actual deaths of Patients in Hospitals? Based on Scientific Studies, the greater danger is now appearing to be entering a Hospital, not exiting it. Especially in Florida. A patiant is nothing more than a means to an end, and that end is often not gained from Insurance or payment of medical bills, it comes from Federal, and State Allocated Grants based on the numbers, not on the individuals.
Jill:
Who framed mespo in the chatroom with a keyboard? I see a board game coming!
Clint:
“Do you honestly think I would call myself “Mespo Exposed”? ”
**********
Nah, not really. I’m just glad you stopped in for a few. Good to see you back!
Clint,
Thank you for clearing up your noninvolvement in the M.E. message.
FFLEO,
I am at a loss to explain this verdict as well. I hope Lisa’s appeal will be successful. The hospital, “wishes her well”? That’s a slap in the face. It’s worse than saying nothing. Lisa, if you read this blog again, know you have many people thinking of you and hoping for justice.
A mystery is afoot! Who is M.E.? Who framed the exposed mespo and what is his picture doing in some strangers darkroom?
Mespo,
I honestly didn’t leave that message. I came to this site because someone visited my site from this link. But, now I’m back! Do you honestly think I would call myself “Mespo Exposed”? Give me some credit please. I’m glad this happened because I forgot the address of this site.
Mespo,
I followed the link provided and I simply read no reason for an exposé…just between us, though.
Disclaimer: M.E., I am an atheist…and I am always looking for “dirt” on any attorney.
Of paramount importance–and more relevant to this topic–I think the jury wronged Ms. Lisa Strong in her attempt at justice. I always have mixed thoughts regarding large pro-plaintiff jury awards; however, Ms. Strong’s case swung the opposite direction and all appearances suggest that the jury got the verdict terribly wrong. Perhaps she can win on appeal and gain a just award so that she can become as financially self-supporting as possible.
This case chronicles into life’s ledger squarely within the column of ‘sometimes life is just not fair.’
FFLeo:
I suppose he presumes to tar and feather me with my own words, but I do sort of like ’em. I ‘m usually careful about what I say, and I must say that the dialogue I had with Clint of the blog (oops don’t tell JT, he gets a little possessive) Clint’s Contemplations was educational and quite respectful of both sides. I wish I would have thought to link it up here myself, but M.E. has done me the service. It’s really no different than what I usually say here. I did word it a little better for Clint I notice however–again keep that between us since JT expects so much here at the neighborhood cyber-bar.
Lisa Strong:
Thank you, Lisa, for your courage and conviction. Good luck to you and your attorneys as they fight on. Justice usually comes to the persistent.
M.E.
Just what is the relevancy of your supposed “exposé”?
Clint:
You’re back, and yeah that’s me too! Exposed, gosh I hope not, I don’t have my pantaloons today!!
Is this you?
mespo727272
What would you call someone today who had a grievance against another and to resolve the matter permitted his own son to suffer a certain and excruciating death without lifting a finger to save him? Christians may call him the “Almighty,” but here on earth, we would call him a felon. It’s funny how the rules change when we simply set the crime in the First Century and make the actors Palestinians and Hebrews spurred on by their fantasy religion. Your masochism is well documented, but to what end. That your religion makes you feel better about yourself does not support, in the slightest degree, the validity of its claims. Indeed the Marquis de Sade greatly enjoyed his “philosophy,” and I’m certain felt better about himself after committing some atrocity against another human being, who was incidentally not a believer either. Like a growing number of Americans and the overwhelming majority of Europeans, I am reaching the conclusion that Christianity is more a suicide pact that a religion and that its followers wold see a silver lining in the near extinction of human life on the planet since it would also mean that their deity was about to fly in on “clouds of glory” to rescue them.
Link to above–
http://doxologica.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/obama-on-the-war/
Thank you, mespo.
I forgot to respond to the as—- comments by Clarence Darrow. To say that we divorced for “welfare” is ludicrous. I have to borrow money every month just to stay afloat.
Lisa:
Your story is typical and rings true to me. You could have shut up (confidential settlement I’ll bet),taken the money, and ran leaving this crew of keystone docs to malpractice in secrect on others (allegedly, of course), but you took the honorable course for you and your family. That another defense lawyer with a conscience apologized to you doesn’t surprise me. See my comments above. As for the jury being bought off, I don’t think so. More likely they are the products of the misinformation brought about by the conservative hype machine hell bent on protecting their money at all costs, including basic decency. I wish you well.
I have so much to respond to that I don’t even know where to begin.
I know that I am extremely shocked and repulsed by Mr. Nosich’s comments here, as well as his newly skewed view of the facts of the case now that I lost. I treated every doctor and lawyer in the case with the utmost respect during this entire ordeal. I smiled every time I saw them and talked to them as pleasantly as I could. In fact, one of the defense lawyers apologized to me and asked for my forgiveness; he was only doing his job. Maybe Mr. N’s pig reference is really aimed at himself. And for his claim that millions were on the table is simply not the case, in fact he did not act in good faith to try to settle early, and he lied about how much his client had in malpractice insurance all the way past mediation until the day before the trial.
On September 20, 2003, I entered Memorial West Hospital (South Broward Hospital District) around 12:30 am. I came in with a temp spiking at 106 degrees. I immediately told them I had a kidney stone. and began vomiting. Two hours later the triage nurse wrote in her note that I had a kidney stone. However The ER doctor, Dr. Kocik, Mr. Nosich’s client, ignored the info given to her, and spent the rest of her shift exploring a gallstone dx, ordering an ultrasound, and she never gave me a ct scan. She did, however, order antibiotics, which was good. At 4:00 AM, my bp went down to 59/39. Dr K’s primary dx was acute fever. secondary dx, sepsis or leukopenia. At 5:30 am a ct scan was recommended, but not performed. At 6:00 AM , I was given Dopamine and Dr Strong was consulted. At 8:00 am I started vomiting again.
I was left alone for five hours. I was seen by Dr. K at 4 am and not seen again until 10:45 by Dr. Sharma. My atty, John Shipley states that I was a victim of shift change. At around 6:20 and again at 8:30 Dr. Kocik consulted with Dr. Strong (no relation) and, according to her, told him that I had a kidney stone (even though she never checked for one).
Dr, Strong received this info over the phone and he called in orders to admit me to ICU. He never came in to see me. He states that Dr. K reported to him hat I had a gallstone. He reversed Dr. K’s orders of antibiotics and such. He said he called Dr. Sharma (who denies it and is the unnamed dr, in this case)and tells her I am now in emergent care. She does not show up to the hospital until 10:45.
Meanwhile, I had been left alone and Dr. Strong had reversed Dr. K’s orders, which didn’t matter anyway because nobody carried out those orders. The nurse testified that she did not agree with the order, so took it upon herself to not administer it. Yet, she failed to let a doctor know of her opinions and of her decision to do nothing.
Finally Dr. Sharma arrives. She consults with Dr, Nebhragani, a surgeon. Around noon that next day. they tell me I had to have surgery or I would die. I questioned the dr about his skill, and for some reason (I was totally out of it before this point) I asked if he had malpractice ins. He said that hat he did not. I wanted another dr, repeatedly asked for one, no matter the effort, and I was told there was none to be had. It was actually a huge lie that they kept up; and I finally believed that there actually was no other dr anywhere that could help me, thinking it was still the middle of the night. After the unnecessary exploratory surgery. I had cardiac arrest while putting me back into ICU. Finally, a ct scan was done, and a urologist called in who put a stint in to relieve the blockage of the kidney stone. If anyone save my life, it was the urologist. I continued to have more arrests.
Dr. Kocik lied in her depositions, and again in trial. She got caught lying and cried on the stand. Additionally, one of their experts got caught lying and also had to admit it on the stand. And no, not all of the experts agreed that there were no negligence, because all of mine certainly did not, and they never got caught lying. Every Dr.’s atty argued that it was the other dr.’s fault, which should have made our case stronger yet.
As for the “millions ad millions” on the table: Mr. N’s client was the only one with insurance, and told us it was a one million dollar policy, when actually it was not. The hospital capped at 200K. So at mediation everyone went around the table and apologized to me, and plainly stated I would get nothing.
A day before trial I as offered 3.3 million. This was from everybody named (it turned out Dr. Strong had insurance, too, but for 250K). So the hospital offered one mil, Dr. Kocik two mil, 250 from Dr. Strong, and Dr. Nebragani would throw in 50K. After atty’s fees, medical costs, and after my ex-husband and my two children got their share, I was advised it simply was not enough to help me in the long run. Going into trial, despite what the jury verdict for damages would be, I knew I would never see anything more than the settlement offer because the money just wasn’t there. I chose to go to trial for the principal of it, to obtain justice by a verdict, to change laws and policies so this wouldn’t happen to anyone else.
For the jury to come back and say there was zero negligence is incomprehensible. It is almost as if they were bought off.
-Lisa Strong
Lisa:
Thank you for contributing with your account. It is a very disturbing case and I wish you the very best in overcoming this tragedy. I hope that you will continue to contribute on this and other stories.
JT
clarence darrow:
Your compassion is overwhelming. Sure you’re not on the defense side?
mespo727272 a little welfare and medicaid fraud?