Legal Issues in Nephrology and Urology

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Legal Issues

After Radical Prostatectomy, Patient Learns He Never Had Prostate Cancer

May 01, 2012

Dr. B, 57, was a urologist with a busy private practice. One of his patients was Mr. O, 69, who had an abnormal PSA result.

Urologist Fails to Divulge Essential Information to a Patient

March 26, 2012

Is honesty always the best policy? That is the question that a urologist had to grapple with in this case.

Properly Performed Prostatectomy Results in Rectal Damage

March 26, 2012

Dr. L, 52, walked out of the operating room after performing a radical prostatectomy on a 73-year old patient, Mr. E. All had gone well. He fully expected the patient to make a swift recovery. Unfortunately, that did not happen.

Physician Sued For Failing to Follow Up

January 20, 2012

A primary care doctor referred a patient with an elevated PSA to a urologist. After a negative prostate biopsy, the doctor did not regularly conduct follow-up PSA testing. The patient eventually died from prostate cancer.

Urologist Facing Charges After Reusable Needle Guards Sales Pitch

December 01, 2011

Dr. M, 59, was an experienced urologist with a busy private practice. He had been in the field for close to 30 years and was well known and respected in the community. His office was staffed by several nurses, some of whom had been working there for decades.

Patient Sues Physician for Not Removing Blood Pressure Cuff

October 11, 2011

Dr. K, 45, was an ophthalmologist with a private practice. One of Dr. K's patients, Mrs. M, 72, was having a small mass on her eyelid removed and Dr. K was using an outpatient surgical facility and one of its nurses.

Lost Note Exposes a Urologist to Litigation

August 23, 2011

Dr. Z's office was crowded, but this was nothing new. The 61-year old urologist had built a thriving practice, primarily from referrals from his network of general practitioners. It didn't hurt that he was active in the local country club and regularly played golf with other physicians.

Invading a Patient's Privacy Costs a Physician

July 27, 2011

Dr. D, 29, was the chief resident finishing up his final year of a surgical residency in a prestigious hospital. Life was golden for the young doctor. He had been a bright and talented student in medical school, and stood out during his residency.

Questionable Case of Negligence, Insurer Settles Against Defendant's Wishes

July 19, 2011

Physicians may want to take a look at their liability policy to see if their contract has a "consent to settle" clause.

Rolling the Dice: Failure to Order a Colonoscopy Results in a Suit

April 09, 2011

Dr. Q, 74, was a small-town family practitioner who had worked in the same town for close to half a century. Living and working in a small town meant that the physician often treated families of patients, even several generations of patients. Such was the case with Mrs. G, 65.

Delayed Kidney Cancer Diagnosis Lands a Urologist in Court

March 07, 2011

What happens if you are sued by a patient whose testimony in court is completely different from the actual events? This happened to Dr. F, 52, a urologist with a small practice consisting of three physicians.

Patient's Widow Sues Urologist for Failure to Diagnose Bladder Tumor

January 11, 2011

Dr. P, 52, was not an alarmist. In fact, he was known to be a urologist with a particularly calm and relaxing manner who did not order unnecessary tests or procedures. His patients were generally happy with this. Some of them even sought him out because of his calm demeanor and his attitude of watchful waiting rather than burdening his patients with dire possibilities and numerous tests.

Doc Sued After Failing to Recommend a Pneumococcal Vaccination

December 14, 2010

Dr. W, 54, was a general practitioner with his own office. One patient who he was particularly impressed with was Mrs. S, 35. The patient had moved to the community five years ago, hoping that a smaller town would be a better place for her autistic child.

Urologist Pays Heavy Price After Discounting Complaints from Annoying Patient

October 11, 2010

Dr. L, 68, was busy. His urology practice was booming and he felt compelled to shuffle patients in and out quickly. As a sole practitioner for close to 30 years, he had specific ideas of how he wanted his office to run.

Nephrologist Sues for An Alleged Antitrust Violation

September 13, 2010

Dr. V, 52, was a nephrologist with a thriving practice in Middletown, a mid-sized community in the Southwest. For years, patients had been traveling to his office for dialysis and other outpatient nephrology services.

Urologist Defends Himself in Malpractice Case from Post-Circumcision Impotence Patient

August 12, 2010

At 60 years old and with almost 30 years of private practice under his belt, Dr. G understood what sort of physician he was. Better put, he understood what sort of physician he was not. He was not the sort who wanted to coddle patients, or become friends with them, or look at their family pictures.

Jury Ponders Whether Earlier PSA Would Have Made Difference

July 12, 2010

Most of Dr. W's cases were referrals from other physicians, often from physicians with whom he was friends.

Urologist Sued After Failing to Order a CT Scan

June 10, 2010

Dr. K, 64, had a busy urological practice that he shared with a younger partner. The practice was thriving, but after 30 years, Dr. K was looking forward to retirement.

Failure to Perform Follow-Up Urinalyses Lands a Clinician in Court

May 11, 2010

Dr. R, 52, was a rheumatologist with his own solo practice. Many of his patients came from referrals.

Doctor Accused of Providing Substandard Care for Persistent Diarrhea Patient

April 01, 2010

Dr. M, 52, was a general practitioner whose office served a variety of patients. Saturdays were especially busy because patients often waited to come in on the weekend. On this particular Saturday, the waiting room was jammed, but one face jumped out at the physician.

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