Los Angeles, CA — Families of injured patients whose medical negligence cases have been disregarded by the California medical board today voiced their support for the public member of the board who is blowing the whistle on the board’s failure to protect patients, as outlined in today’s LA Times report. 
 
Read the Times story, “Whistleblower or Flamethrower? California Medical Board Member Calls Out His Colleagues,” here: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-11-17/california-medical-board-member-calls-out-his-colleagues
 
The families, part of the Patients for Fairness coalition, say their cases have been mishandled by the doctor-controlled board and their efforts to create a public member majority on the board foiled by the medical insurance lobby.  
 
They say the best hope for protecting patients in California is the Fairness for Injured Patients Act, which adjusts the cap on damages set in 1975 and allows injured patients access to accountability in the courts that is currently denied them.
 
“The medical board gave a slap on the wrist to the doctor who killed my son,” said Tammy Smick of Temecula, whose twenty-year old son Alex was given the wrong medication and left unattended to die.  “The Fairness Act is the only hope for fairness for injured patients.” 
 
Learn more about Alex’s case at https://www.patientsforfairness.org/alexsmick/

“The doctors failed Jordan and their failure resulted in her death.  We filed medical board complaints including sourced documentation all of which the medical board closed as unable to meet the burden of proof,” stated Sandy Perez of Hesperia, whose 17-year-old daughter Jordan died following a diagnosis of migraines.  “There is no accountability for Californians.  Our only hope is The Fairness Act.”

Learn more about Jordan’s case at https://www.patientsforfairness.org/jordanperez/
 
“The medical board closed my complaint at the Central Complaint Unit with no interview,” said Michele Monserratt-Ramos of Los Angeles whose 36-year-old fiancé died from an undisclosed surgical site infection and sepsis. “No accountability from the board and the legal system has forced me to continue this fight to help other Californians seek justice.  The Fairness Act is our path to accountability.”

Learn more about Lloyd’s case at https://www.patientsforfairness.org/lloydmonserratt/
 
“The medical board discouraged us from filing a complaint on behalf of my grandson.  We did it anyway but had to fight to force them to acknowledge his complaint.  He may have lived only 18 hours, but he deserved justice,” said Monique Himes of Bakersfield whose 18-hour-old grandson died from medical negligence.  “We now turn to the Fairness Act for accountability and justice for Californians”

Learn more about Malakhi’s case at https://www.patientsforfairness.org/malakhideleon/

The coalition of patients and families harmed by medical negligence launched their story-telling website  – www.PatientsForFairness.org – last week, one year before Election Day 2022.   The Patients for Fairness coalition website documents the stories of 60 patients and families representing every region of California, whose experiences show the trauma, loss and injustice caused by preventable medical errors and the state’s medical negligence cap. The website features video testimonials, profiles and photos of each patient, whose stories can also be found by navigating a map of the 40 Senate districts across the state.

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