Dr Thomas Shaknovsky Lawsuit

Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, a Florida doctor who performs surgery on patients, is a person whose actions have tragic consequences for a patient. What are we even talking about here? Well, instead of removing a patient’s spleen, Dr. Shaknovsky mistakenly removed the patient’s liver, resulting in the immediate death of William “Bill” Bryan, a 70-year-old man visiting Florida with his wife. This article very carefully reveals the circumstances that surrounded this horrendous mistake, alongside the legal steps that have been taken, and also why this situation is of great importance in the analysis of medical errors and malpractice law in Florida. So, let’s get to know a little more about this famous Dr Thomas Shaknovsky Lawsuit, shall we?

Background of the Surgery

William Bryan was taken to Florida by his wife when he started feeling sudden severe pain in the abdomen, that’s when it all started. They went to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital to consult their doctor. Doctors suspected the spleen was the cause of the pain. From the very start, Dr. Shaknovsky advised the surgery of splitting the splenectomy. Originally, Will had instructed relaxation and was ready to allow himself to move to Alabama for treatment but after so many days of God insisting on Dr. Shaknovsky, he gave consent, and then he had this surgery on the 21st of August 2024.

The Incident: Misidentified Organ Removal

During the surgery, a serious error took place. Instead of William’s spleen, Dr. Shaknovsky removed his liver, the organ vital for life without which it causes extensive blood loss, resulting in instant death for William. Dr. Shaknovsky ordered the staff after the operation to label the liver as a spleen and send it to the lab. They seemed very shocked and recognized that mistake, but nonetheless, the medical team obeyed his order.

Legal Actions and License Suspension

As a result of a huge negligent error committed by Dr. Shaknovsky, his medical license has been suspended due to the report on September 24, 2024. Not just that though, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo reported that Dr. Shaknovsky committed several serious mistakes, for example, he tried to falsify medical records. In consequence, Beverly Bryan, who is the wife of the patient, William, has filed a lawsuit against both Dr. Shaknovsky and the hospital for malpractice, you know, a type of case that is brought against doctors when their actions result in serious damage to a person.

Just so you know though, in the state of Florida, a specific law called the “free kill” restricts the legal liability of family members against the doctors in the event of medical errors in the case of a patient older than 25 and without minor children. In spite of that, Beverly is able to file a legal case as the spouse of the patient.

The Controversy Surrounding the “Free Kill” Law

Florida’s “free kill” law is kinda a huge injustice, and why do we say that? Basically, the law says that families with members above the age of 25 who are not married and have no minor children will not have any legal recourse if their loved one is injured due to medical mistakes or malpractice. They say, the goal of this law is to minimize unrealistic lawsuits that could potentially raise healthcare costs. On the contrary, many people are of the opinion that the law is biased towards the wrongdoers aka negligent physicians or medical professionals by hurting innocent families.

And yes, William Bryan’s situation is an example of this. He can be sued by his wife, however, if he was not married, his adult children would not be entitled to file any lawsuit. For sure, this particular aspect of the law has received heavy criticism, and we can all understand why precisely that is the case.

Parul

Parul is an experienced blogger, author and lawyer who also works as an SEO content writer, copywriter and social media enthusiast. She creates compelling legal content that engages readers and improves website visibility. Linkedin