Doctor claims he lied in court to protect partner

New York residents may be interested to learn that roughly 20 years ago, a surgeon from South Dakota lied during a medical malpractice case. The doctor was called to provide testimony that would establish that his colleague was a skilled surgeon. The case in question involved a patient of that colleague who suffered a stroke after undergoing a procedure performed by the defendant in the case.

Although he was there to vouch for this surgeon's credentials, he had doubts about the colleague. However, most doctors generally do not admit when other doctors make mistakes. When asked on the stand if he had ever known his partner's work to be substandard, he said that he did not. The witness in that case now says the decision to lie has haunted him every since it happened.

Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing exactly how often patients are lied to or how often doctors lie to protect their fellow doctors. It is also uncertain whether or not the man's testimony influenced the jury to act as it did. Ultimately, the jury sided with the defendant in the case. The witness who admitted to lying under oath is now 77 and works as a patient advocate. In fact, he now assists the lawyer who represented the patient in that case.

If a patient is harmed by what they believe are the actions of a negligent doctor, it may make sense to pursue legal action. A medical malpractice case may result in a patient winning compensation for medical bills and lost wages. A portion of any financial award may help a patient recover lost future earnings. An attorney could review the case to see if negligence occurred.