Geraldo Rivera Files Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Alleging Surgical Errors

Geraldo Rivera was recently spotted leaving Manhattan Civil Court, where he reportedly attended settlement talks in an attempt to resolve his medical malpractice lawsuit.

Rivera had filed suit against the Hospital for Special Surgery on East 70th Street alleging that the defendant committed surgical errors that resulted in a severe disability.

Details of the complaint are sparse

The Fox News Channel personality says that he went to the healthcare facility in 2010 to undergo back surgery. After the surgery, Rivera claims that his right foot was crippled and alleges that surgical errors caused his medical problems. Details are not forthcoming about the lawsuit, such as what may have gone wrong during the surgery, how the foot disability was acquired, and how the surgeon may have allegedly breached the standard of care. There are some common surgical errors that may form the basis for a medical malpractice case. For example, a surgeon may have injured a nerve during the operation, the anesthesiologist may have administered too much or too little anesthesia, or the surgeon may have created an incision at the wrong site.

While it isn’t known how his back surgery may have allegedly led to his foot injury, Rivera did shed some light on the extent to which his injuries have incapacitated him.

“I can’t jog anymore. I can’t play tennis (or) ski,” he said. The 72-year-old news host also mentioned that because of his foot problems, he’s having trouble caring for his 10-year-old daughter. Rivera has expressed his desire to reach a medical malpractice settlement with the hospital, rather than to take his chances in the courtroom.

A spokesperson for the hospital has flatly denied Rivera’s allegations, saying that the injury did not occur from complications of the surgery. Rather, the spokesperson claims that Rivera injured himself while in the rehabilitation room. Rivera is alleged to have kicked a refrigerator door.

Rivera underwent surgery to correct foot problems

On New Year’s Eve in 2013, Geraldo Rivera underwent surgery to correct his foot disability. He kept his Twitter followers updated about his condition during his surgical preparations and recovery, and shared photos of himself in a hospital gown. After the surgery, Rivera thanked the surgical team at Mount Sinai Hospital while publicly disparaging the defendant for the “botched original job.”

Earlier in December, Rivera had announced his plans to file suit against the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Typically, victims of medical negligence who recover compensation for their losses with a jury award or settlement use the funds to pay for their past and future medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, and other damages. However, Geraldo Rivera has other plans in mind, should the settlement talks conclude in his favor. “I promise any settlement I get, I promise I’m donating 100 percent to charity,” said the TV personality in an interview with the New York Post. Specifically, Rivera plans to donate any compensation he recovers to the College of Staten Island’s Social Work School.

Resources Resources