Daily Talker: Mocked Patient Wins Lawsuit

A man in Virginia has been awarded $500,000 by a jury after he was mocked while under anesthesia during a colonoscopy in 2013.

Officials say the man, who wanted to remain anonymous, recorded the doctor's post-operation instructions so he wouldn't forget them.

But when he listened to the recording on his way home, he discovered that he had recorded the entire examination and that the doctor and the rest of the surgical team had insulted and mocked him once he fell asleep.

The anesthesiologist, 42-year-old Tiffany Ingham, was overheard saying, "After five minutes of talking to you in pre-op, I wanted to punch you in the face and man you up a little bit."

When the medical assistant noted the man had a rash, the anesthesiologist warned her not to touch it, saying she might get "some syphilis on your arm or something."

Ingham no longer works at the office.

"I've never heard of a case like this," said Lee Berlik, a lawyer who specializes in defamation law.

Do you agree with a jury's decision to award a man $500,000 after he was mocked by a surgical team while under anesthesia?

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