Medical negligence is a complicated field of legal study and representation, but it is one that could also have a huge impact on any of our lives. Thankfully, mistakes are not commonly made in healthcare, and the vast majority of us receive the help we need. However, negligence remains an unfortunate possibility of which people should be aware – whether in the misdiagnosis of an illness or an error made during a procedure. What follow are some public case studies of medical negligence, and how they affected figures in the public eye.
Linda Evangelista
Linda Evangelista is widely regarded as one of the most successful models of all time, with a career spanning decades. She is perhaps most well-known for her work at the tail-end of the 20th century; thanks to her long-standing relationship with photographer Steven Meisel, she appeared on more than 700 magazine covers – including multiple appearances on Vogue Italia.
However, her career came to a sudden and unexpected halt in 2016, when a cosmetic fat-freezing procedure left her with a rare side effect called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia. Rather than reducing subcutaneous fat, the procedure caused fat to accumulate around sites of treatment – including her face. Evangelista took out a civil claim against Zeltiq Aesthetics, the owner of the proprietary technology used for the treatment, seeking $50 million in damages.
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers was one of America’s most beloved comedians, who had been entertaining the world for nearly fifty years – until her untimely death on September 4th, 2014. The 81-year-old was undergoing an investigative procedure on her throat when she suffered a cardiac arrest at the operating table – and passed away mere days later.
Rivers was survived by her daughter Melissa, who filed a medical negligence claim against the New York clinic responsible for her treatment in 2015. It transpired that there were doubts regarding the training and conduct of the anesthesiologist caring for Rivers during the procedure – and that staff failed to properly intervene when Rivers’ vital signs began to deteriorate. The case ended in a settlement in 2016.
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue remains a household name around the world, being one of the most influential pop stars on the planet. Her life was rocked by a breast cancer scare in 2005; she discovered a tumour in one of her breasts, which was thankfully safely removed. After a programme of chemotherapy, she was given the all-clear – but her journey was not quite so simple.
An initial consultation with a doctor had come up clear, leading her to believe she did not have cancer. It was only the discovery of the lump weeks later that led to her treatment. If cancer hadn’t been discovered so soon after the initial misdiagnosis, her outlook could have been much different.
You can read this post on My Celebrity Life.