REDDING, Calif., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to an announcement today by Tenet Healthcare Corp. , the law firm of Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter and co-counsel can confirm that they have reached an agreement in principle to settle substantially all of the claims brought by former cardiac care patients at Redding Medical Center against Tenet and its subsidiaries arising out of allegations of unnecessary medical procedures performed at the hospital before November 2002.
Under the settlement, Tenet will establish a settlement fund by Dec. 31, 2004 of $395 million to be allocated among more than 750 patients who had filed civil lawsuits. The cases arose from allegations that certain doctors had performed unnecessary cardiac catheterizations and bypass surgeries while practicing at Redding Medical Center in Redding, Calif. The litigation against those physicians is not part of this settlement. This settlement agreement is subject to customary procedural requirements of the California state court and ratification by substantially all the individual plaintiffs.
Co-lead counsel Robert G. Simpson, of Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter, stated, “This has been a long and difficult road for our clients. They courageously stood up for their rights against tremendous criticism from a community that did not understand the depth of deception behind these unnecessary surgical procedures. We are extremely proud of our clients and are pleased that these very decent people are being compensated for the egregious acts committed against them.”
Liaison counsel Russell Reiner, of Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter, stated, “Our firms represent more than 345 patients who underwent unnecessary cardiac procedures, as confirmed by board certified cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. Our clients and their families suffered horrible complications such as death, amputations, heart and brain damage, loss of mental acuity, and strokes because of these unnecessary procedures. Their lives have forever been changed, but this settlement enables them to finally move forward.”
The legal team for the former patients includes Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter, of Redding, Calif.; Moriarty & Leyendecker, of Houston, Tex.; and Hackerman Frankel, of Houston, Tex.
The litigation against the cardiac surgeons is continuing and the first trials are scheduled for July 2005.
For more information, please contact: Russell Reiner Robert G. Simpson Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter Redding, Calif. Toll Free 1-800-896-4200 Phone (530) 241-1905 Fax (530) 241-0622 E-mail: reiner@reinerinjurylaw.com News media inquiries: Erin Powers Powers MediaWorks Houston / The Woodlands, Texas Phone (281) 362-1411
Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter Law Offices
CONTACT: Russell Reiner, reiner@reinerinjurylaw.com , or Robert G.Simpson, both of Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter, +1-800-896-4200, or+1-530-241-1905, or fax, +1-530-241-0622; or media, Erin Powers of PowersMediaWorks, +1-281-362-1411, for Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter
