$16.7 million verdict in missed Lung Cancer

[tco]

Probably. But, as I said earlier, luck is a huge factor, and in the meantime, I don't want to be 'that guy'.

You'll always be that guy to me <3

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[gtx780ti]

He could have bought a house in Florida for the sum of his total worth and it would be protected by the homestead act, even if it was purchased after the trial began.

 

[Baller MD]

He could have bought a house in Florida for the sum of his total worth and it would be protected by the homestead act, even if it was purchased after the trial began.

Care to share more info about this?

 

[shark2000]

Medicine is certainly a poor return on investment from a financial and risk stand point. Whereas most poor outcomes outside of medicine results in slap on the wrist, loss of job, we have to deal with career ruining lawsuits and our assets at stake. There have even been rare cases of bad outcomes resulting in criminal trials.

If you wanna help people there are easier ways to do so. Same goes with making a comfortable wage. If you wanna prove something or make your parents proud, there are also easier ways to do it than becoming an MD.

Correct, correct and correct.

Don't agree more. The last paragraph is one of the most correct statements I have ever heard about medicine. The bitter truth is that the only people who understand it are attendings in their mid career.

 

[atomi]

Just imagine that this guy wants to change his job, or he loses his job. Do you think he will be able to find another job? Which hospital or pp group want to put the name of this guy on their board?

Locums 4 life.

Also, this is a lesson to never have assets in America. They can't touch all that money you spent on vacations, fancy hotels, leased luxury vehicles. Even soft assets are ok. Designer clothes -- they're not going to come after those. Have kids? Great! They suck up tons of money. Send them to the most expensive schools you can afford. Bottom line, spend as much money as you possibly can. If you insist on having assets, get a bunch of gold and bury it somewhere. Or are you ok with somebody freezing your life's work stored in a computer somewhere with a click of a mouse? Carpe Diem.

 

[atomi]

My bank account and investments would be emptied and you would never see me again.

Unfortunately you are not the first person to think of this. The courts and lawyers are very aware of this possibility. See above post. Offshore assets, gold, or just live hand-to-mouth in a very luxurious style and pick your favorite charity to give the rest to lest some vulture gets it.

 

[Taurus]

Practice in a state with tort reform like Cali, Texas, etc.

 

[greg1184]

Pity award. Nothing less. Hopefully it is vigorously appealed.

 

[Baller MD]

Practice in a state with tort reform like Cali, Texas, etc.

Do you know where I can find a good list? Google failed me as it came up with lists that had Massachusetts in it...

 

[colbgw02]

Every now and then some throw-away medical magazine will give a ranking of doctor-friendly states, FWIW.

The "Big 3" that I've heard are Texas, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. Someone on another thread mentioned Indiana and Kansas, too, but I don't know anything about those places. The bad places I've heard are Florida, Mississippi, and pretty much the entire northeastern U.S., to include Pennsylvania.

@Taurus Is California really physician friendly? I would not have thought that.

 

[Taurus]

Every now and then some throw-away medical magazine will give a ranking of doctor-friendly states, FWIW.

The "Big 3" that I've heard are Texas, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. Someone on another thread mentioned Indiana and Kansas, too, but I don't know anything about those places. The bad places I've heard are Florida, Mississippi, and pretty much the entire northeastern U.S., to include Pennsylvania.

@Taurus Is California really physician friendly? I would not have thought that.

Is Cali a good state for anyone to work in except for state public employees? I would rather be piloting a barge through the San Francisco bay than be a plastic surgeon in Cali. At least, you probably won't get sued.

San Francisco Bar Pilots demand pay increases

How about one week on, one week off, for $400,000 a year, and a pension of around $170,000 after 20 years of service?​

There's a state ballot initiative for November to increase cap to $1 million from $250k.

http://ballotpedia.org/California_P...edical_Malpractice_Lawsuits_Initiative_(2014)

 

[colbgw02]

Wait, so you're suggesting that California is currently physician-friendly, but may not be come November?

 

[Taurus]

In a perverse way, this case actually benefits radiology. How many of us know ED docs or surgeons who think that they can read (and try to bill for) their own plain films, ultrasound, CT, or MRI?

The ED docs are trying to read their own ultrasounds. That's fine by me. As long as they store their images on the PACS so that the lawyers can come after them later on.

 

[Taurus]

Wait, so you're suggesting that California is currently physician-friendly, but may not be come November?

I've never considered working in Cali. State taxes and cost of living too damn high.

 

[colbgw02]

Okay, so now I'm utterly confused. Why did you suggest working in California, particularly if their tort reform may be going away in a few months?