KM Viray
A male patient from Reston, Virginia, USA undergoing colonoscopy left his phone’s recorder on by accident during the procedure–and heard his doctors insulting him, particularly his anesthesiologist. The patient was shocked to hear the conversation that went on while he was sedated (hear the full recording here).
The recording captured anesthesiologist Tiffany Ingham, 42, calling the man a “wuss,” “annoying,” and a “retard.” Ingham had also warned a medical assistant not to touch a rash on the man’s arm, saying the assistant might get “some syphilis on your arm or something,” then added, “It’s probably tuberculosis in the penis, so you’ll be all right.”
The patient filed a case and asked for $1.75 million, but was only given $500,000 as a compromise between two disagreeing jurors. The half million is broken down to $200,000 in punitive damages awarded to the plaintiff, $50,000 for each of the comments made implying he had syphilis and tuberculosis, and $200,000 for medical malpractice.
The patient also filed a suit against his gastroenterologist who performed the colonoscopy, Soloman Shah, 48, but Shah was dismissed from the case. On the recording, Shah also made some insulting remarks, saying, “As long as it’s not Ebola, you’re okay.” Shah also apparently did not discourage Ingham from making her comments or actions, which included writing on the man’s chart that he had hemorrhoids, when he did not.
