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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Two lawsuits filed against physician for alleged misdiagnoses

Medical malpractice 04

MORGANTOWN – Two lawsuits have been filed against a Monongalia County physician after they claim they were misdiagnosed.

Dr. Felix Bruzuela and Felix Brizuela D.O. PLLC both were named as defendants in the suits.

Ashley Lynn Hendricks and Robert William Hendricks Jr.; and Donna Straight and Kenneth Straight filed their lawsuits March 27 in Monongalia Circuit Court.

The plaintiffs claim Brizuela misdiagnosed multiple patients with disease processes known as CIDP or CIPD variant and prescribed a drug called IVIG for multiple patients who should not have been prescribed the drug.

IVIG contains the pooled immunoglobulin from the plasma of approximately 1,000 or more blood donors and patients who get IVIG have to have surgery for a PICC line or other port to be implanted, and the IVIG is administered into their vein, according to the suit.

The plaintiffs claim the patients have to live with a PICC line in them for as long as they are on the treatment.

Brizuela received financial benefits and incentives from a drug company that manufactured, sold and/or distributed IVIG, according to the suits. Brizuela also overprescribed opioids and other medications to multiple patients who should not have been prescribed the doses of opioids they received, especially in combination with other drugs the defendants prescribed.

The plaintiffs claim Brizuela failed to adequately document prescription drug numbers and dosing and failed to assess and monitor the effects and need for continued use of opioid drugs.

“Without performing an adequate medical investigation, without formulating a proper differential diagnosis, without appropriately considering [the plaintiffs’] past medical history, Dr. Brizuela and Felix Brizuela, D.O., PLLC misdiagnosed [the plaintiffs] with CIPD variant,” one complaint states.

The plaintiffs did not have CIPD variant, according to the suits.

The plaintiffs claim the defendants were negligent and violated the standard of care.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by Tony L. O’Dell and Cheryl A. Fisher of Tiano O’Dell.

Monongalia Circuit Court case number: 17-C-144, 17-C-145

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