Florida Surgeon Removes Wrong Organ from Man, Killing Him, Law Firm Says

Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Filed Against Surgeon and Hospital

A Florida surgeon removed the wrong organ from a man, killing him, according to a medical malpractice lawsuit filed by the victim's family.

The lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court, alleges that Dr. Michael Mizell, a general surgeon at Hialeah Hospital, removed the man's spleen instead of his gallbladder during a laparoscopic surgery in 2020.

The man, identified in the lawsuit as 56-year-old Lazaro A. Cardenas, died from complications of the surgery, the lawsuit states.

Dr. Mizell's Medical License Revoked

The Florida Department of Health has since revoked Dr. Mizell's medical license after an investigation found that he "failed to meet the minimum standard of care" in Cardenas's surgery.

The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Mizell and Hialeah Hospital were negligent in several ways, including failing to properly identify the correct organ before surgery, failing to take adequate steps to prevent the wrong organ from being removed, and failing to provide proper post-operative care to Cardenas.

Law Firm Seeks Damages for Family

The law firm representing Cardenas's family is seeking damages for wrongful death, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of medical malpractice cases filed in Florida in recent years.

In 2021, a jury awarded $10 million to the family of a woman who died after a botched surgery at a Miami hospital.

The rising number of medical malpractice cases in Florida has led to calls for reforms to the state's medical malpractice laws.

Lawmakers Consider Reforms to Medical Malpractice Laws

Florida lawmakers are currently considering several bills that would make it more difficult for patients to sue doctors and hospitals for medical malpractice.

One bill would cap the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice cases.

Another bill would require patients to file their medical malpractice lawsuits within two years of the alleged malpractice, instead of the current four years.

The Florida Medical Association supports the proposed reforms, arguing that they would help to reduce the cost of medical care in the state.

However, patient advocates and attorneys groups oppose the reforms, arguing that they would make it more difficult for victims of medical malpractice to obtain justice.