Q: What are my rights if a doctor falsified my records to perform an inappropriate surgery?
My doctor performed a lumbar laminectomy decompression surgery on me for lower back pain. He falsified my medical records to say that I had radiating pain down my buttock and legs; he said that was my primary complaint. I had no pain anywhere except my lower back. I can prove that using the records from his own office. I have since been told by my new doctor that surgery is only appropriate when radiating pain is present. I have a degenerative disc at L4-L5. He said that a fusion with discectomy is the only surgery recommended for my diagnosis and even that only has a 60% success rate.I have contacted a lawyer who told me that I will need to pay $10,000 to have an expert testify that the surgery was not warranted. I don't have that kind of money. My back pain is worse after the surgery. Is there some way that I can sue him for the unnecessary surgery without paying for an expert?
A: Contact a member of the State of Washington Assn for Justice-they give free consultations. Many don't expect the client to pay for expert fees up front.
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