Surgeon Convicted of Felony After Poor Patient Outcomes

A Texas surgeon was recently convicted of a felony charge of injury to an elderly person after his care left a patient in far worse condition than she started. Mary Efurd sought care from surgeon Christopher Duntsch in 2012 when she was in need of a spinal fusion. But after the surgery, the 74 year old was unable to walk or even move without pain.

A second surgeon performing a follow-up surgery found that several of Efurd’s nerve roots were injured or severed, some of the fusion screws were in her soft tissue and not bone, and there were even screw holes drilled into the wrong areas of her spine. Prosecutors eventually unearthed as many as 15 cases in which Duntsch “intentionally, knowingly and recklessly” harmed his patients, including some patients that had strokes or even fatal outcomes from his care.

We’re happy to hear Ms. Efurd found excellent advocates in her attorneys, but for many who experience bad outcomes from a doctor’s care, the decision to bring a suit against the doctors at all can be difficult to reach. Have you been injured as a result of medical malpractice? Every Indiana medical malpractice lawyer at Christie Farrell Lee & Bell has experience and can help you explore your options.