New Jersey

Richard Flagg
Jersey City, NJ

Mr. Flagg was diagnosed with a carcinoid benign bleeding tumor in his left lung which required that the lung be removed. The physician mistakenly removed the healthy right lung rather than the diseased left lung. Because the healthy lung was removed, they could not also remove the patient's remaining functioning lung—which contained the tumor. After their error was discovered, the physicians allegedly altered the medical records and told Mr. Flagg that after beginning surgery, they determined that they needed to remove the other lung because of a previously undiagnosed disease.

Mr. Flagg later learned that the pathology report on the removed lung revealed that it was a completely healthy lung. Mr. Flagg requires oxygen 24 hours a day and has a host of medical problems as a result of the operation. Meanwhile, the tumor in his remaining lung will likely continue to grow, and if it becomes cancerous there is little that can be done to treat it.

Richard Fulton
Jackson, NJ

Richard Fulton noticed a lump on his neck. He went to his doctor and was diagnosed with lymphoma. His treatment plan consisted of four different drugs. Three are to be administered intravenously and one is to be administered into his spine. His doctor injected the wrong drug into Richard's spine. It took eight hours for the doctors to realize the mistake. They discovered that this mistake would cause the patient to die. Richard lived only another 4 days. He died an excruciating death, involving ascending paralysis - paralysis that progressed from his feet up to his head. Eventually, the pain was so terrible; the doctors gave him morphine until he passed away.

Eddie Velasques
Newark, NJ

When Eddie Velasquez developed flu-like symptoms, his mother Norma took him to their family doctor. Their doctor gave him a prescription for antibiotics. When Eddie showed no improvement, he and his mother returned and a different doctor changed the prescription. Eddie seemed to be getting worse, continued vomiting and became dehydrated. After two more weeks Norma took her son to the emergency room. A blood test revealed that he had leukemia. However, he was informed he had a 95% chance of complete recovery.

His pediatric oncologist prepared Eddie for 4 chemotherapy protocols. After 3 administrations of the chemotherapy protocol, his progress chart noted that his leukemia was considered in remission. Eddie went in for the final chemotherapy treatment. The order for this administration should have been for one dose. Instead, the written order called for three doses. Eddie had a violent reaction. Eddie's health deteriorated and he stayed in the hospital. He developed inflammation and ulceration of the lining of his mouth, throat and gastrointestinal tract. He experienced cardiac dysfunction, began vomiting blood, and had swelling all over his body. He transferred to a different hospital that began aggressive bone marrow transplants. In April, 2002, Eddie died of severe Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) caused by excessive mucus in his lungs.

August 2004