Former NFL Professional Chris Maragos Wins $43.5 Million Malpractice Declare

The day after his former group, the Philadelphia Eagles, misplaced Tremendous Bowl LVII, Chris Maragos received a $43.5 million judgment in his malpractice declare towards the medical group that handled him for a knee harm.

“On Sunday, my group performed the Tremendous Bowl, and I may solely watch and wonder if I may have been on the market with them had I acquired correct medical care,” mentioned Maragos in a press release issued by his legal professionals on February 13. “Whereas I reside in fixed ache and can by no means get again on the sphere, I hope this resolution sends a message to groups’ medical staffs that gamers are folks, not simply contracts.”

The case concerned a meniscus tear that famend orthopedic surgeon James Bradley, MD, and nationwide rehabilitation institute Rothman Orthopaedics allegedly didn’t correctly deal with. As a substitute, the medical group prematurely superior rehabilitation for the previous defensive again and particular groups ace — which in the end prompted further harm to the knee, based on Maragos’ lawsuit.

In the course of the 2-week trial within the Philadelphia County Court docket of Widespread Pleas, the jury heard testimony from orthopedic medication consultants, in addition to Maragos’ former Eagles teammates Nick Foles, Trey Burton, and Jordan Hicks.

Maragos’ authorized group additionally proved that Rothman Orthopaedics created two separate medical charts for Maragos, one among which didn’t embrace key notes about his harm and restoration, based on the press launch.

Bradley and Rothman Orthopaedics didn’t reply to Medscape’s request for remark.

Medical Journey Gone Mistaken

Maragos was 30 years previous when he first injured his proper knee throughout a sport towards the Carolina Panthers on October 12, 2017, based on his grievance filed in Could 2018. It was his eighth yr within the league. The harm was recognized as a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) sprain, grade III. Bradley surgically repaired Maragos’ proper knee after which oversaw and directed postoperative therapy with the help of Rothman Orthopaedics.

Nevertheless, an MRI revealed that Maragos’ harm had been getting worse and that he suffered from a persistent partial tear on the posterior root of the medial meniscus and meniscus extrusion, based on the grievance.

At this level, based on testimony delivered in the course of the trial, Bradley and Rothman Orthopaedics ought to have suggested Maragos to restrict his actions. As a substitute, they launched Maragos, permitting him to run on dry land.

That additional confused Maragos’ knee, resulting in further issues and the untimely finish of his soccer profession, based on an article printed in FanNation.

“This has been happening endlessly in skilled sports activities and lots of of former gamers proceed to undergo as a result of their physician did not rise up for them towards these organizations. The care needs to be targeted on what’s greatest for sufferers and never on the needs of an expert group who needs to hurry gamers again on the sphere,” Peter J. Flowers, an lawyer for Maragos, informed Medscape Medical Information. “Docs and clinicians ought to keep in mind the Hippocratic oath they took to do no hurt.”

Maragos’ expertise may positively have an effect on scientific care sooner or later, mentioned Dion Rassias, one other lawyer for Maragos.

“This case and this jury could have modified the course of historical past by now forcing these group docs and trainers to cease worrying about when a participant would possibly return to play and begin desirous about the following 50 years of a participant’s life,” Rassias mentioned.

Maragos, now 36, began his profession with the San Francisco 49ers, earlier than successful the Tremendous Bowl as a Seattle Seahawks participant in February 2014. He then signed a 3-year contract with the Eagles earlier than the 2014 season and received a 3-year contract extension with the group in November 2016.

John McCormack is a Riverside, IL-based freelance author protecting healthcare info expertise, coverage, and scientific care points.

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