Becker's reported on two settlements in orthopedic cases so far in May.
1. A pain management physician accused of failing to make a timely diagnosis of a patient's spine growth settled a lawsuit for $2 million. Arik Mizrachi, MD, of Princeton (N.J.) Orthopaedic Associates saw a patient experiencing weakness in both legs in February 2020. The patient said he should have been directed to a spine surgeon or neurosurgeon after an MRI revealed irregularities on his spine. But Dr. Mizrachi allegedly told the patient to see an oncologist or primary care physician, but the patient disputed the claim. The patient woke up on March 30, 2020, unable to stand and was diagnosed with plasmacytoma on his thoracic spine. He sued Dr. Mizrachi in 2021, and the settlement was reached on March 18.
2. An orthopedic surgeon has settled a years-long gender-discrimination case with Philadelphia-based Thomas Jefferson University. Terms of the settlement weren't disclosed. The settlement ends a legal dispute that began in 2018 after John Abraham, MD, sued the university over its investigation into misconduct allegations against him. Dr. Abraham alleged the university conducted a gender-biased investigation. He was awarded $15 million in a 2023 verdict, but in March that award was voided.