Patients Being Treated For Peripheral Artery Disease Undergoing Record Amputations As Health Care Companies Profit
NEW YORK, NEW YORK (July 15, 2023) – A number of people who were undergoing treatment for peripheral artery disease have undergone amputations as health care companies have raked in record profits.
One patient identified as Kelly Hanna had one of her legs amputated in 2020. She had undergone many artery-opening procedures.
Her doctor said that the procedures would improve blood flow and prevent amputations. However, for many patients they still must undergo amputations.
Now, critics of these surgeries are calling them needlessly risky. The industry behind these procedures is targeting the roughly 12 million Americans who have peripheral artery disease. Doctors and hospitals are raking in record profits for these surgeries.
For more than a decade, research has show that the vast majority of people with peripheral artery disease with mild or no symptoms don’t require surgical intervention. Instead, the disease can simply be treated by getting more exercise and taking medication.
The research is also clear about something else. Patients who undergo artery-opening procedures are more likely to need amputations than those that don’t.
Liability For Peripheral Artery Disease Amputations
According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the legs or lower extremities is the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the legs. It is primarily caused by the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries, which is called atherosclerosis.” There are a number of non-surgical ways that mild peripheral arterial disease can be treated.
- Patients can quit smoking.
- Patients can begin doing more exercise.
- Patients can start eating a heart-healthy diet.
- Patients can take cholesterol drugs.
- Patients can take blood pressure drugs.
Depending on the facts of any case, a doctor or hospital could be liable for a patient needing an amputation. Medical malpractice occurs when a patient is injured or killed by a doctor or hospital’s deviation from the applicable standard of care. There is no single standard of care for any health-care field. However, a doctor’s or hospital’s standard of care is met when a doctor or hospital with an equivalent skill set would have followed the same procedures and guidelines under identical circumstances. There are four elements that must be shown in order to demonstrate liability for a medical malpractice claim.
- A Duty of Care Was Owed: The doctor-patient relationship typically means that a duty of care is owed. In most situations, it is not that difficult to establish that a doctor or hospital owed a patient a duty of care.
- A Duty of Care Was Breached: A doctor isn’t necessarily negligent if their efforts are not successful. Rather, for a breach to be established, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the standard of care they were given differed substantially from what prudent medical peers would do in the same situation.
- Proximate Cause: The breach of care must have been the proximate cause of the patient’s injuries.
- Damages: The injury sustained by the patient must have caused actual damages.
These treatments for peripheral artery disease are part of a long tradition in the healthcare industry. They show how doctors and hospitals are prioritizing their own financial well-being over the best interests of their patients. Hospitals don’t make a lot of money when patients are eating healthier, exercising more and taking low-cost medications. Instead, their raking in tens-of-millions as their own patients are losing limbs. Any person that has lost a limb after undergoing an artery-opening procedure for peripheral artery disease may have recourse through a civil claim. A medical malpractice attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Getting Legal Help After Artery-Opening Procedure Amputations
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to all of the people who have lost limbs after getting artery-opening procedures. There needs to be a thorough investigation into the medical practices of the hospitals performing these surgeries. Hospitals should never prioritize money over the well-being of their patients.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured after an artery-opening surgery? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of medical malpractice attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that patients are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or are thinking about hiring an attorney we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
