Florida Jury Awards $11.4 Million to Injured Surgery Patient

By Daniel Hawn

Published on August 10, 2006

In the lawsuit, Jacques Farkas, who worked as a neurosurgeon at JFK Medical Center in Atlantis, was accused of using the wrongs rods when he performed spinal surgery on Sam Sangounchitte in 1999. Farkas was also accused of being insufficiently trained to perform the procedure.

The rods that were implanted into Sangounchitte’s spine during the procedure eventually moved to his brain, causing brain and spinal cord damage, said Sangounchitte’s attorney, Nancy LaVista. Sangounchitte, 52, is now restricted to a wheelchair and struggles with spasms, chronic pain and depression, LaVista said.

The lawsuit sought damages from JFK Medical Center for permitting Farkas to perform the procedure on Sangounchitte and for failing to ensure that Farkas had malpractice insurance. The lawsuit also alleged that the hospital violated federal law by not limiting the types of procedures its surgeons were allowed to perform.

Following the trial, JFK CEO Gina Melby issued a statement in which she said the company is greatly disappointed with the outcome and plans to appeal the verdict.

Farkas could not be contacted via telephone for comment.

Sangounchitte’s wife, Matilda, said the verdict will help to pay for a motorized wheelchair and other costs associated with her husband’s condition.

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