Last Dance for Dermatologist?

Q: Can dancing while operating constitute medical malpractice?

It’s well-known that some surgeons enjoy listening to background music while they operate. Unfortunately, if they get too caught up in the music and apparently start dancing on videotape while performing surgery, they could find themselves suspended from practice– or even named in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Or ten of them.

Recently, a dermatologist who was reportedly filmed during a cosmetic surgery procedure dancing and “rhythmically moving” the scalpel both in and outside of the patient was suspended by her state medical board. Multiple patients have reportedly filed complaints against the doctor and at least nine patients have sued.

A tenth patient–whose buttocks procedure was allegedly the setting of one such “dancing doctor” video– reportedly plans to sue for “pain and suffering”, claiming the doctor should have paid more attention to her medical care instead of dancing and that “her buttocks are now lopsided and her left side is continually itching”. Complaints against the doctor allegedly range from claims of disfigurement to brain damage.

Medical malpractice is a specific area of personal injury law. When the medical treatment a patient receives from a doctor, surgeon, healthcare professional, or institution deviates from the accepted standards of practice, and the patient suffers a serious injury as a result of that deviation, the victim may be entitled to recover considerable damages and compensation for those injuries.

If the victim can prove (1) there was a failure to provide a level of medical care commensurate with accepted standards of practice and (2) that that failure caused the injury, recoverable monetary damages may include compensation for physical and psychological pain and suffering as well as current and future medical expenses and lost income.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of medical malpractice or a loved one has died as a result of it, the experienced attorneys at Noland Law Firm can help you maximize the financial compensation to which you may be entitled. Contact us today for a free consultation.

From our offices in Liberty, Missouri, we represent injured people and their families throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and Western Missouri.