Texas Man Files Suit against Doctor for Fraudulent Billing and Unnecessary Medical Treatments

By Sarah Harper

Published on April 17, 2008

The plaintiff, Luis Hinojosa, filed the complaint after receiving treatment at the Shanti Pain & Wellness Clinic, operated by Dr. Ihsan Shanti. According to the complaint, Hinojosa sought treatment at the clinic in March 2005 for an unspecified hand and wrist injury. Over the next year, Hinojosa was treated by Dr. Shanti’s brother, Bilal Shanti, who Hinojosa later discovered was practicing medicine without a license.

Hinojosa’s complaint alleges that Bilal provided several treatments that were of no medical value. By August 2005, Hinojosa’s hand injury had worsened and did not respond to corrective surgery, leaving him permanently disabled.

Shanti reportedly billed Hinojosa’s workers’ compensation insurer $68,000 to cover services provided as well as some treatments that were never rendered. Hinojosa’s complaint also alleges that Shanti involved Renaissance Hospital in the fraudulent billing scheme. According to the complaint, Shanti paid Renaissance Hospital to allow him to rent one of its surgical suites, which allowed Shanti to submit bills in the hospital’s name. In return, the hospital received referrals for Hinojosa’s treatment, in violation of Texas law. The scam cost Hinojosa’s insurer nearly $20,000 for a treatment that cost only $2,000, the lawsuit states.

Hinojosa is seeking $204,000 in trebled damages as well as unspecified damages for physical disability and mental pain and anguish.

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