Tennessee Woman Wins $3.45 Million Lawsuit Over “Completely Unnecessary” Surgery Resulting in Permanent Disfigurement
A Tennessee woman, Kellianne Goodnight, has won a $3.45 million lawsuit after being left with a “completely unnecessary” and “permanent” disfigurement from a surgery performed at the Chattanooga Skin and Cancer Clinic in 2017.
Goodnight underwent a Mohr’s surgery at the clinic, where doctors removed several layers of skin just above the bridge of her nose. The doctors claimed the layers were filled with cancer cells, but a third-party examination later revealed that none of the layers removed had any sign of skin cancer.
The lawsuit stated that Dr. Mark G. Tusa and nurse practitioner Sharon Ann Brown failed to inform Goodnight of an additional or changed diagnosis after the procedure. Goodnight later underwent a follow-up procedure that lasted roughly eight hours, during which she was informed that the cancer had spread and was the size of a baseball located under her nose and mouth.
The misinterpretation by Dr. Tusa led to the unnecessary removal of tissue, resulting in a “huge, deep, irreparable, and completely unnecessary crater” on Goodnight’s face. The procedure left her with permanent disfigurement and structural damage to the muscles underlying her face, requiring multiple surgeries to attempt to correct the error.
Goodnight suffered embarrassment and humiliation, wearing a mask in public for months after the surgery and ultimately losing her job at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee due to the procedure.
Last week, Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Michael Sharp ruled in favor of Goodnight, awarding her nearly $3.45 million in damages, including compensation for past and future pain and suffering, permanent impairment and disfigurement, loss of the ability to enjoy life, and medical care and services.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough and accurate medical diagnosis and treatment, as well as the potential consequences of medical errors on patients’ lives.
