The Setlerus lawsuit is a legal case in which the plaintiff, Joseph Lora, is suing his former orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Sam Katzir, and his former medical malpractice firm, Stryker and Associates for medical malpractice. Dr. Katzir is currently under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for the death of his patient, Ramiro Baldo. According to the lawsuit, Dr. Katzir intentionally misdiagnosed a patient with spinal stenosis as having osteonecrosis or lumbar spinal disk disease, when it was in fact a herniated disc. When Ramiro was born in June of 1994, he qualified for a normal growth in height but received no growth allowance. He continued to experience pain in his back and neck throughout high school and college, although these episodes did not interfere with his ability to engage in his daily activities.
After graduating in May of 1996, Dr. Setler moved to Tampa to open a dental practice. He quickly became well known for being one of the most generous and caring doctors in the Tampa area and even received multiple awards for his compassion and caring. One of Dr. Setler’s patients was Domenico Castelluccio, who was in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease and received spinal surgery at the time. Domenico suffered severe spasticity in his upper spinal cord, which required extensive physical therapy and left him wheelchair bound for the remainder of his life.
In March of 1997, Domenico developed complications from the spinal surgery that resulted in multiple seizures and a permanent memory loss. A thorough neurological exam by the doctors at the Tampa hospital where Domenico had surgery revealed that there was no clear correlation between the surgical error and his sudden stroke. Dr. Setler next consulted with Dr. David Steiner, a highly regarded spinal surgeon who is an obstetrician-oncologist. During this consultation, it was learned that there was indeed a direct correlation between the medical malpractice and Domenico’s death; as set forth in the Setler-Dsager case. The lawsuit was eventually settled in lieu of dismissal.
While the medical malpractice lawsuit was in the discovery phase, Dr. Steiner and his team performed further studies revealing that Dr. Setler’s negligence in treating Domenico Castelluccio with Botox in violation of the Hippocratic ethos of care for the elderly. It was also found that the treatment used by the doctor resulted in a high percentage of temporary paralysis and severe damage to the delicate vascular system of the face, neck and ears. The court found that Dr. Setler’s actions in treating Domenico Castelluccio were cruel and heartless and that he failed to give him the care and attention that he needed.
The Setlerus lawsuit against Dr. Setler is just one of the more high profile cases of medical malpractice that have been in the spotlight. However, it is not without flaws. A majority of the plaintiffs in these lawsuits are unable to prove that they were injured due to the negligence of the doctor. Furthermore, many of the plaintiffs in these lawsuits are not able to prove that the injuries and losses sustained as a result of the medical malpractice were indeed the direct fault of the doctors. Therefore, it is important that the patient retain a qualified medical malpractice attorney in order to receive the settlement in these lawsuits.
Because these lawsuits require a lot of hard work on the part of the plaintiff’s legal team, it is important that they receive comprehensive representation. Hiring a qualified personal injury attorney who specializes in medical malpractice and who has handled similar cases can help the Setlerus lawsuit proceed with the required speed and ease. These attorneys are also experienced in the negotiation process with insurance companies in order to obtain the largest settlement possible. If you or someone you know needs to receive justice, it is essential that you seek the representation of an attorney who has experience in handling medical malpractice and other lawsuits involving medical professionals.