Find yourself Googling “Medical Malpractice Attorney” in Florida? It may be due to lax regulations. Specifically, you may have been treated by a doctor who has taken advantage of loose licensing regulations. A recent story in MEDPAGE Today reports on the rules for licensing doctors with a history of disciplinary problems or misconduct.
The story focuses on the case of a Colorado doctor whose medical malpractice killed a patient he was treating for multiple sclerosis (MS). In addition, at least seven patients filed medical malpractice misdiagnosis lawsuits against the doctor. In the case of the patient who died, four medical school students complained to the state medical board. Finally, in 2014, the medical board revoked his license. That was not a big problem for the doctor, Gary Weiss, a neurologist who now practices in Palm Bay, Florida.
He was able to make the move because the patchwork medical licensing system doesn’t track bad doctors. Like many medical practitioners, Dr. Weiss is — or was — licensed in more than one state. It’s a prescription for medical harm, patient injuries, and medical malpractice lawsuits. In fact, Dr. Weiss and others like him, are keeping Florida medical malpractice attorneys busy. According to reports, least two Florida patients have filed malpractice lawsuits against Dr. Weiss since he restarted his practice in Palm Bay.
Dangerous Doctors in Florida
Weiss lost his license in Colorado because of a case involving a missed diagnosis, which may well have resulted from a misdiagnosis. In other words, the doctor was treating the patient for MS, which was a misdiagnosis; and the treatment involved a drug which caused another disease, which the doctor failed to diagnose altogether. Weiss prescribed a drug called natalizumab for MS. A known side effect of the drug is a condition called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy – or PML. The doctor did not treat the PML, which eventually killed the patient.
Despite the doctor’s gruesome record of missed diagnosis, misdiagnosis, doctor error and medical malpractice lawsuits, Florida regulators didn’t catch up with him until 2017. Even then, their action amounted to a slap on the wrist. After hearings about the doctor negligence and malpractice, The Florida Board of Medicine fined Weiss $5,000, put a “Letter of Concern” in his file, and required him to take some classes. So Dr. Weiss is still practicing medicine in Palm Bay.
And there are likely more dangerous doctors out there.
If a doctor’s negligence, misdiagnosis, or malpractice has caused you harm, contact the Orlando Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Martinez Manglardi. For a free consultation, call 407-846-2240. Offices throughout Central Florida — including Palm Bay.
