“The Doctors” is a TV chat show during which a panel of medical professionals and an audience interact to discuss topics related to health and illness. The show’s producers are facing a negligence lawsuit after arranging for a plastic surgeon with several medical malpractice claims against him to perform surgery on a guest of the show. New York residents might know Jenelle Butler as an influencer with many social media followers, a successful fitness business, corporate partnerships and an established clothing line.
Reportedly, she publicly admitted to making a dumb decision in 2010 to get butt implants, announcing her intention to have the implants removed. When the producers of “The Doctors” learned about her plans, they invited her to appear on the show, at which time they announced an offer to arrange for the corrective surgery to be performed free of charge. Although Jenelle Butler preferred having the procedure done by a surgeon with whom she had consulted, the producers indicated the proposal was only valid if done by a surgeon chosen by the production company, a condition to which she reluctantly agreed after considering the reputation of the show.
The surgical procedure was filmed, and after viewing it, the surgeon whom Butler had wanted to perform the surgery noted that several critical errors were made, causing excessive blood loss and leaving her with severe tissue necrosis. Jenelle Butler and her husband, as plaintiffs, claim that the producers should have known that their choice of surgeon had faced multiple malpractice lawsuits in the past, one of which was for a similar procedure. In that instance, the patient reportedly developed an infection, which resulted in amputation and, ultimately, led to her death.
Butler and her husband allege negligent breach of a voluntary undertaking, negligent selection and loss of consortium. In New York and elsewhere, anyone who suffers the consequences of a surgeon’s negligence can seek the support and guidance of an experienced medical malpractice attorney. Legal counsel can assess the circumstances, explain the client’s legal rights, and suggest the most appropriate way in which to proceed.