Doctors kept mocking a patient under anesthesia during a colonoscopy. His phone recorded it all — and it cost them $500,000
Dr. Ingham had no clue she was being recorded and tried to play victim in front of the judge
People have a certain level of faith in their doctors, which is why they believe medical professionals would always act in their best interests. Sadly, a Virginia man identified as 'D.B.' by CBS News believed the same but was proven wrong by his anesthesiologist. In 2013, Dr. Tiffany M. Ingham was responsible for putting D.B. under anesthesia for a colonoscopy. Before they began, he pressed record on his phone. The intention was to remember his doctor's instructions after the procedure, just in case he had brain fog afterward. When he listened to the recording on the way home, he was shocked by their comments. The video was shared on June 25, 2015, and it has 20,798 views, 178 likes, and 49 comments.
Behind the patient's back
While D.B. was unconscious, the surgical team made several comments that were extremely unprofessional, especially Dr. Ingham. They made fun of a rash in a sensitive area, with Dr. Ingham making more specific remarks that his colleagues considered humorous. She also made fun of D.B.'s fear of needles while labeling him with an array of diseases. The doctors also plotted to lie to him and pretend that they were busy with another urgent task to avoid talking to him after the procedure. Dr. Ingham even said that she was going to falsely diagnose him with hemorrhoids "even though we don't see them and probably won't."
$50,000 for a rude comment
After hearing everything the doctors said about him, D.B. sued them for $1 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages at the Fairfax County Court. In 2015, the judge gave their verdict after a three-day trial, with the jury ruling against Dr. Ingham, while the other doctor was dismissed, Foster Swift reported.
Dr. Ingham and her practice were ordered to pay D.B. a $500,000 settlement, including $100,000 for the defamation claim ($50,000 each for the syphilis and tuberculosis comments), $200,000 for medical malpractice, and the other $200,000 for punitive damages. She and her legal team tried to fight the case, saying the recording was illegal, but since Virginia is a "one-party consent" state, their argument was overruled.
Unprofessional professionals
No one would've expected a doctor to badmouth their own patient, especially while the latter is in the same room. However, a survey commissioned by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) found that 18% of Americans had encountered unprofessional and unethical physicians, but only 33% of those who encountered it filed a complaint. The survey also revealed that 24% of women were more likely to experience physician misconduct compared to 12% of men. It seemed like D.B. was one of the unlucky men. But in the end, he got his revenge when the doctor literally had to pay him $500,000.
'Punish all of them'
People in the comment section were disgusted by Dr. Ingham and her colleagues. @oliviatashti4475 commented, "They should punish all of them for laughing." @sandrinafralencio9769 added, "This is so sad, but unfortunately it is more than just common. This incident was just one out of many."
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