Three physicians were cleared in a spine patient’s $3 million lawsuit that alleged his diagnosis was delayed, Missouri Lawyers reported Dec. 17.
A jury ruled that emergency medicine physician Ronald Keller, DO; pain management physician Joseph Galate, MD, and orthopedic surgeon Alexander Bailey, MD, weren’t liable in the patient’s claim, the report said. The patient suffered a work-related injury and saw the physicians for care.
He visited the emergency room to be evaluated, and a follow-up MRI uncovered compression to the spinal cord. By the time the patient saw a spine surgeon his symptoms progressed.
The patient alleged that if he had an MRI in the emergency room, his spinal cord compression would have been diagnosed sooner. Experts in the trial argued the symptoms did not justify an emergency work up.
An attorney for the plaintiff did not immediately respond to Missouri Lawyer’s requests for comment.
