Physician Faces Series of Malpractice Suits

By Daniel Hawn

Published on August 15, 2005

The malpractice claims follow the state Department of Health's June 1 suspension of Dr. Lance W. Christiansen's medical license. Officials with the department conducted an investigation into the deaths of eight of Christiansen's patients and concluded that six of them were the result of Christiansen's negligent actions. Investigators named incompetence, mistaken diagnoses, and over-prescription of powerful medications as the causes of the deaths. Christiansen has appealed to get his license back.

Of the five malpractice lawsuits that have been filed against Christiansen, four of them are being handled by the Morris, Sockle law firm in Olympia. These suits, which were all filed Friday July 29, involve allegations of either misdiagnosis or over-prescription of potent medications.

A separate law firm filed the fifth claim in the beginning of July. The suit alleges that Christiansen and his assistant failed to correctly position a patient's foot within a cast, resulting in significant harm.

All five suits seek an unspecified amount of damages. The four lawsuits being handled by the Olympia firm seek compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost future income.

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