Parents in Springfield and Decatur may be shocked to hear about a doctor up in Cook County who authorities say lied about administering vaccines to potentially hundreds of his child patients. Though the doctor has died, several parents have filed a class-action medical malpractice lawsuit against his estate to collect damages.
The doctor was licensed to practice medicine in Illinois starting in 1991 and worked as a pediatrician. He was an advocate of homeopathic medicine, and many parents who oppose vaccinations took their children to him. However, other parents brought their kids to him for vaccinations, unaware of his views.
The doctor died of suicide last year. Police found his body in his car, along with a suicide note that seems to confess to lying about vaccinating children over the last ten years of his career. After finding out about the contents of the note, several parents have had their children tested. Many of the children have only been partially vaccinated against diseases like chickenpox, measles, and rubella. Other children showed no immunity at all.
Hundreds Could Be Affected
An attorney representing the lead plaintiff in the class-action malpractice suit says he has identified around 50 cases where parents allegedly were misled about vaccinations. But he suspects that the doctor did the same thing to hundreds of more children in his career. It is not clear if any of the doctor’s patients became seriously ill as a result.
What to do When a Doctor Violates Your Trust
As a parent, you carefully choose a pediatrician you can trust to take care of your kids’ health. Most pediatricians are dedicated, knowledgeable, and honest. But the ones that treat their patients with negligence or outright deceive parents put young lives at risk. If you suspect your child’s physician has committed medical malpractice, consider calling a personal injury lawyer to discuss your experience.