Spine

Jury Awards $23.9 Million in Damages for Botched Spine Surgery by York Neurosurgeon

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York, PA — A Pennsylvania jury has delivered a substantial verdict against a York-based neurosurgeon, Dr. Sean Goodwin, assigning him financial responsibility for a surgical procedure that went gravely wrong. In what is being earmarked as the largest malpractice verdict in the history of York County, Dr. Goodwin has been ordered to pay $23.9 million in damages following a spine operation that resulted in severe injuries to his patient, 41-year-old Clara Johnson. Johnson, a former physical therapist, underwent spine surgery at the hands of Dr. Goodwin in January 2019 at York Medical Center. The lawsuit … Read more

Court Reverses $11 Million Verdict for Plano Spine Surgeon Highlighted in Investigative Reports

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Dallas, TX — In a surprising legal reversal, a federal appeals court has nullified an $11 million jury award previously granted to Dr. Randall Kirby, a spine surgeon from Plano, who claimed he was defamed in a series of investigative reports by another physician. Kirby, prominently featured in media coverage for his professional conduct and surgical practices, vocally criticized Dr. Michael Rimlawi, accusing him of multiple professional misconducts. The jury in Dallas had initially sided with Kirby, determining that Rimlawi’s statements against him were defamatory and awarded substantial damages for the harm caused to his … Read more

Court Victory Frees Alleged FBI Informant to Pursue Retaliation Lawsuit Against Texas Spine Doctor

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DALLAS — In a significant reversal by the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas, the earlier ruling against Jonathan Rute, accused of being an FBI informant and implicated in a defamation lawsuit, has been overturned. The legal saga drew public attention when Rute was accused of providing pivotal information to a local TV station, leading to reports that compared Plano spine surgeon Stephen Courtney to the notorious “Dr. Death” neurosurgeon, Christopher Duntsch. In 2021, Rute faced a jury verdict that mandated him and his co-defendants to pay nearly $11 million to Dr. Courtney for alleged … Read more

Court Overturns $11 Million Verdict for Texas Spine Doctor, Citing Lack of Evidence in Confidential Files Case

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COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — A state appellate court has nullified an almost $11 million award for damages that a jury had granted to Dr. Stephen Courtney, a spine specialist based in Plano. In a surprising turn of events, the Dallas’ Fifth Court of Appeals ruled against the originally awarded sum, concluding that the defendants, Dallas attorney Kelly Liebbe and Jonathan Rute, should not be held financially responsible. The litigation’s origins traced back to allegations that Liebbe and Rute improperly acquired around 1,500 of Dr. Courtney’s confidential patient files. According to the spine doctor, they utilized … Read more