A decade of questionable surgeries
Dr. Jose Veizaga-Mendez performed surgery in Massachusetts and Illinois for 10 years after he allegedly botched a hernia operation, leading to his first malpractice lawsuit. He is suspected of providing substandard care to 18 patients, 12 of whom died, before he was forced to resign in August.
November 1997 - Robert Whitney undergoes hernia repair at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro; he later wins a malpractice lawsuit in which he contended he was in agony for four years because Veizaga-Mendez wrongly placed staples in his bladder.
January 2000 to Nov. 2003 - The surgeon allegedly provides substandard care to seven other patients at Sturdy, including two who died as a result.
October 2003 - Malpractice lawsuit by family of Geronimo Coronado cleared for trial by a fact-finding tribunal, but the surgeon fails to make required notification to the Board of Registration in Medicine. Coronado died after acid reflux surgery at Sturdy Memorial in 2000. Surgeon later made out-of-court financial settlement.
2004 - Sturdy Memorial disciplines Veizaga-Mendez for substandard care and reports the action to the state medical board, triggering an investigation.
January 2006 - Veterans hospital in Marion, Ill., unaware of allegations in Massachusetts, hires Veizaga-Mendez as a surgeon.
July - Veizaga-Mendez voluntarily agrees to temporarily stop practicing medicine in Massachusetts. State board reports suspension to national tracking agencies as "nondisciplinary" action.
October 2006 to March 2007 - Illinois hospital sees elevated death rate from surgeries involving Veizaga-Mendez: Nine died when two deaths normally expected.
January 2007 - Massachusetts regulators charge Veizaga-Mendez with seven counts of substandard care and failing to report malpractice suits against him.
March - Jury orders Veizaga-Mendez to pay $652,000 to Whitney and his wife for 1997 malpractice.
August - Air Force veteran dies from internal bleeding after routine gallbladder surgery by Veizaga-Mendez in Illinois. Surgeon resigns. Hospital suspends inpatient surgery and launches investigation. Veizaga-Mendez applies for medical license in North Dakota.
SOURCES: Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine, US Senate, Bristol County Superior Court
