Legal News

Stories about physicians and other healthcare professionals involved in lawsuits—as either a plaintiff or a defendant—or accused of breaking the law. Various legal updates or unusual stories in the news may land here.

Mayo Clinic hit with $20M verdict after patient sues for negligence
A jury awarded Linette Nelson $19.8 million after it was alleged a former Mayo Clinic surgeon botched a series of colorectal cancer surgeries, forcing the woman to undergo them a second time.
Coalition of 36 AGs rejects Congressional push to bar states from regulating AI
The bipartisan group of attorneys general is pushing back against Congressional plans to bar states from regulating AI, machine learning and large language models.
Radiology group sues Trinity Health for $3M, claiming hospital partner ‘significantly mismanaged’ imaging services
Advanced Imaging Specialists, Danbury, Connecticut, alleges the breach of contract occurred shortly after it started performing services for 3 New England hospitals.
Judge rules hospital isn’t liable for discarded brain of gene therapy patient
Children's Wisconsin admitted that it accidentally threw out the brain of a 24-year-old woman who survived a rare childhood illness as a result of a novel gene therapy. A researcher called the organ “irreplaceable.”
Members of Congress reintroduce bill requiring insurers to cover supplemental breast imaging
The Find It Early Act would ensure all women have access to supplemental exams, such as ultrasound and MRI, with no out-of-pocket costs.

veterans health administration efficiency

DOD contractor hit with $11M fine for health data mismanagement

A U.S. military contractor has agreed to an $11.2 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations it lied about properly securing sensitive patient data tied to the Tricare program.

shocked surprised social media post defamation

UnitedHealth hires law firm, demands doctor recant statements on social media

According to a report from Bloomberg Law, UnitedHealth has hired a prestigious defamation law firm to police what it deems as misinformation posted online.

Healthcare AI newswatch: UnitedHealth lawsuit, humanized medical AI, mobile AI care clinics, more

A federal judge has vacated five of seven complaints against UnitedHealth Group—yet is allowing the AI-implicated suit to advance.

Vandalism broken window property destruction

Hospital delays opening after vandals sledgehammer holes into walls

The grand unveiling of a new Trinity Health System hospital in Ohio has been delayed after vandals smashed up the place. The incident is currently under investigation.

Judge orders HHS agencies to restore health information

A Tuesday ruling gave the FDA, CDC and HHS until midnight to undo the mass deletion of webpages stemming from Trump executive orders.

Cancer patient in pain for months discovers surgical sponge in neck, lawsuit claims

Frank Kryzak has filed a lawsuit against Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital after an exploratory surgery allegedly left him in a mysterious state of agony for four months.

Family of heart patient who died after missing medications in jail settles lawsuit

A 54-year-old heart transplant recipient was unable to take doctor-prescribed medications during his brief stay at a local jail. He died a few days after being released.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) HQ

HHS offers update on comms pause as rapid policy shifts continue

A spokesperson told HealthExec that "several types of external communications" are no longer subject to any pause, including urgent public health alerts.

Legal News

Mayo Clinic hit with $20M verdict after patient sues for negligence

Coalition of 36 AGs rejects Congressional push to bar states from regulating AI

Radiology group sues Trinity Health for $3M, claiming hospital partner ‘significantly mismanaged’ imaging services

Judge rules hospital isn’t liable for discarded brain of gene therapy patient

Members of Congress reintroduce bill requiring insurers to cover supplemental breast imaging