Doctor Accused Of Fatal Overdoses In Florida Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

A Florida medical malpractice lawsuit accused a Tampa-area doctor of dispensing “potentially lethal” doses of several powerful prescription drugs. Dr. Edward Neil Feldman was accused of prescribing drugs such as the anti-depressant Valium, the muscle relaxant Soma and the painkiller oxycodone in heavy doses. The heavy doses mentioned in the Florida medical malpractice lawsuit reportedly contributed to the deaths of at least seventeen of Dr. Feldman’s patients.

Deaths Tied To Florida Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

The state’s Board of Medicine has filed a Florida medical malpractice lawsuit claim against Dr. Feldman due to the overdose deaths of his patients. More than a dozen of his patients had reportedly died from overdoses. Pill bottles found at the scenes were labeled with his name. Records from the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner’s Office showed that fifteen deaths were attributed to fatal levels of oxycodone, methadone or mixtures of other medications.

Over-prescriptions Prompt Florida Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

In one statement tied to the Florida medical malpractice lawsuit, Dr. Feldman reportedly prescribed oxycodone, Soma and Valium to a 57-year-old female patient simultaneously. The Florida Department of Health described the prescriptions as being “in strengths and quantities which were potentially lethal.” Another statement related to the Florida medical malpractice lawsuit said that a 26-year-old male patient had been prescribed 680 oxycodone tablets in less than 40 days.

Federal Authorities Investigate Overdoses From Florida Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

While the Florida medical malpractice lawsuits examine why and how Dr. Feldman allegedly over-prescribed so many patients, federal prosecutors are examining his role in three of the overdose deaths. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has started building a case against Dr. Feldman for prescribing medications that were “not for a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice.” If convicted, Dr. Feldman could face from 20 years in prison to a life sentence.

Illegal Drug Use A Factor In Florida Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

The statements from the Florida medical malpractice lawsuits also show evidence of how the patients used the drugs that Dr. Feldman prescribed. Two Tampa-area men who had died after receiving prescriptions from Dr. Feldman were found with straws and crushed pills, while syringes were found in two other cases. Dr. Feldman’s attorney would not discuss the particulars of the Florida medical malpractice lawsuit, but he stated that he “can’t imagine” Dr. Feldman telling his patients “to crush oxycodone and snort it or inject it” as part of the prescription.

Source: Tampa Bay Times

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