Medlin Law Firm - December 2024

Anyone Seen a Skull? HOSPITAL MISPLACES PATIENT’S BODY PART

All of us have had to search underneath the couch cushions for a missing wallet or TV remote, or we’ve had to scour the mall parking lot in search of our somehow misplaced car keys. I would almost certainly lose my head if it were not attached to my body. Which, as it turns out, is why I definitely should not work at one particular Atlanta hospital. In September 2022, the Emory University Hospital Midtown staff allegedly misplaced something more important than the contents of a patient’s pants pocket. Following his brain surgery, Fernando Cluster was horrified to discover that the hospital had misplaced part of his skull.

Fernando’s skull for November 2022, issues arose that made it impossible for the hospital to fulfill its end of the bargain. The hospital made errors when identifying the bone flaps and had no idea which skull fragments belonged to Fernando. Eventually, hospital staff informed the patient

they could not find his bone flap and, as a result, they would be unable to put the missing pieces back in his skull.

Suing Over a Skull Consequently, Fernando and Melinda Cluster have filed a civil lawsuit against the hospital. The Clusters claim the hospital’s failure to find his bone flap led to an extended hospital stay, increased medical debt, and undue pain and suffering. Not to mention, of course, the alleged negligence in misplacing a patient’s skull . If nothing else, the Clusters have a remarkable story to tell and, most probably, a large settlement headed their way in lieu of a fully intact brain cage.

What a Headache Fernando underwent emergency brain surgery after suffering a stroke and subsequent cranial bleeding. As part of the surgery, surgeons removed a portion of Fernando’s skull, known as a bone flap, with plans to reattach that portion of his skull after he healed from his surgery. While the hospital scheduled the procedure to repair MISSED YOUR COURT DATE? Understanding Failure to Appear Cases in Texas

We understand that despite your best intentions to meet obligations, circumstances sometimes make it impossible to do so. However, the circumstances can differ drastically depending on the seriousness of that obligation. When you miss a doctor’s appointment or a flight, the most you will likely have to worry about is rescheduling and paying a small financial penalty. However, if you miss a scheduled court appearance in a criminal case, the penalties can be much more serious. If you or a loved one has failed to appear in court due to an accident, illness, or other unforeseen consequences, we can help, but you must act quickly. Penalties for Failure to Appear When it comes to your Failure to Appear (FTA) case, the penalties you may face differ based on the severity of the crimes you were originally charged with and other mitigating factors. For example,

the Texas Department of Public Safety may deny you the ability to renew your driver’s license if you have failed to appear for court related to a citation. If you are facing less serious charges, your penalties may be a Class A Misdemeanor, which can carry a sentence of up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine. However, if you are facing felony charges, you may be charged with an additional felony and sentenced to up to 10 years imprisonment. We Can Help Depending on your excuse for missing court, the penalties will differ significantly. If you have failed to appear in court, contact us now. We can help you prove that your excuse for missing court is reasonable and worthy of forgiveness. You can visit this link to learn how an experienced lawyer can help you with your Failure to Appear Case or call Medlin Law Firm at (682) 499-9222 .

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