A legal dispute has surfaced involving Emory University Hospital Midtown after a patient claimed that the facility managed to lose a removed segment of his skull, later charging him for a costly synthetic replacement. Fernando Cluster, the affected patient, underwent surgery for an intracerebral hemorrhage in September 2022, which necessitated the temporary extraction of a portion of his skull. Fox5Atlanta reports that when it came time to reinstall Cluster's "bone flap," it was allegedly missing, prompting a last-minute cancellation and further surgical delays.
Bearing the weight of financial and emotional distress, Cluster and his wife have decided to take legal action against Emory Healthcare for negligence. On August 8, a lawsuit was filed asserting that Mr. Cluster faced more than $146,000 in bills due to the hospital's oversight. Additionally, he had to endure further complications, including infection, due to the synthetic replacement. This narrative unfolded when hospital staff discovered numerous bone flaps with incomplete or missing patient identification, unable to confidently identify Cluster's on the day of his scheduled cranioplasty, as detailed by a note from the operating room cited by Fox5Atlanta.
Amidst the claims and charges, Emory Healthcare maintains its commitment to patient care but has refrained from commenting directly on this ongoing legal matter. A spokesperson conveyed the organization's dedication to quality and compassionate service, emphasizing their policy of withholding public comment in relation to pending lawsuits, Becker's Hospital Review informs. As for the specifics, Cluster's medical expenses were listed explicitly in the complaint, with the implant costing north of $19,000.
Represented by the Hornsby Law Group, Cluster's attorney Chloe Dallaire has conveyed the family's shock and distress over the matter. "It is shocking that a medical provider like Emory would lose part of one of its patient’s skulls and then refuse to accept responsibility," Dallaire stated, as relayed by Fox5Atlanta. The Cluster family seeks not only to navigate their own ordeal but also to ensure preventive measures are taken to stop such an incident from reoccurring to anyone else. Unfortunately, Mr. Cluster has been unable to return to work amidst the ongoing health setbacks and legal proceedings against Emory Healthcare.
