Jurors in New Mexico have awarded a man more than $412 million in a medical malpractice case that involved a men's health clinic that operated in multiple states.
The man's lawyers celebrated Monday's verdict, saying they hoped it would prevent other men from falling victim to a scheme that involved fraud and what they described as dangerous penis injections. He said the punitive and compensatory damages are the largest amount ever awarded by a jury in a medical malpractice case in the US.
Lori Benko, one of the attorneys, said, “This is a national record-setting case and it's appropriate because I don't think there's any place for licensed professionals to defraud patients out of money. It's a violation of their fiduciary duty.” This is a very serious violation.” Who represented the plaintiff. “It is a breach of trust and whenever anyone wears a white coat, he should not be allowed to do so.”
The award follows a trial held in Albuquerque earlier this month, which focused on allegations outlined in a lawsuit filed by the man's lawyers in 2020. Numale Medical Center and company officials were named as defendants.
“This corporate scheme uses fear and manipulation as a tactic to convince these people to do what they do,” said trial lawyer Nick Rowley. told CBS affiliate KRQE.,
According to the complaint, the man was 66 years old when he went to the clinic in 2017 seeking treatment for fatigue and weight loss. The clinic is accused of misdiagnosing him and treating him unnecessarily with “invasive erectile dysfunction shots,” causing irreparable harm.
Nick Rowley, another attorney who was part of the plaintiffs' team, said the out-of-state medical corporation orchestrated a “fraudulent scheme to make millions by defrauding the elderly.” He provided few details in a social media post, saying that clinic staff told patients they would suffer irreparable harm if they did not agree to injections three times a week.
NuMale Medical Center told KRQE that they “disagree with the decision and intend to pursue all available legal remedies, including an appeal.”
Susan Montoya Bryan/AP
Brad Palubicki, president of Numale Medical Center, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Wednesday that the company is focused on continuing to provide responsible patient care while maintaining strict safety and compliance standards at all of its facilities.
“While we respect the judicial process, we cannot comment on specific details of the case at this time due to ongoing legal proceedings,” he said.
NuMale also has clinics in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, Nebraska, North Carolina and Wisconsin.
According to court records, jurors found that the plaintiffs suffered damages as a result of the defendants' fraudulent and negligent conduct. He also found that the defendants' unconscionable conduct violated the Unfair Practices Act.
In a statement to KRQE, the man's lawyers said the verdict sends a powerful message that “medical providers cannot prioritize profits over the well-being of patients without being held accountable.”