In 2001, Richard Batista, a neurosurgeon from Long Island, donated his kidney when his wife suffered from renal failure to save her life. In 2005, Mrs. Batista filed for divorce alleging domestic violence and infidelity. Mr. Batista then filed a peculiar lawsuit.
When he found out his wife filed for divorce, he demanded that his wife should return the kidney he donated four years back or pay up $1.5 million which he thought his kidney was worth. Needless to say, the case was tossed out as internal organs were not meant to be marital assets or commodities that can be bought or sold. (source)
6 A patient sued the Saving Hope cast for misrepresenting themselves as medical practitioners during his rectal exam.
Saving Hope cast. Image credits: CTV Television Network
William Fischer, a resident from Brampton, Ontario, was a patient at the Brampton Civic Hospital in 2012. He was scheduled to have a rectal examination by his doctor. His doctor was accompanied by two other people for the medical exam, and Fischer assumed they were medical students or practitioners. He later learned that they were one of the casts and a researcher for the TV show Saving Hope.
Fischer sued the doctor, hospital, medical system, and the Saving Hope team for breaching his privacy and sought $100,000 in damages. He alleged that he was led to believe that they were medical practitioners and was not informed that they were doing background research for their show. Both the actor and researcher also allegedly took part in the invasive physical examination without his consent leading to a lawsuit claiming assault and battery. But none of the allegations were proven in court, and no defense statements were filed. (source)
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7 A survivor from the Charlie Hebdo shooting sued French media for leaking his whereabouts on live TV.
On 9 January 2012, two days after the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris which killed 12 people, the gunmen reached a small printing firm on a quiet industrial estate outside Paris while on a run from the police. Lilian Lepère, a 26-year-old graphic designer, and his boss were present at the firm when they arrived. Upon his boss’s instruction, he hid from the gunmen. He squeezed into a tiny cupboard beneath the sink and stayed there for over eight hours.
While his boss distracted the gunmen, he was contacting the police officials through his phone. But unfortunately during this incident, the TV stations France 2, TF1, and RMC radio revealed the fact that someone was hiding in the printing shop. Though Lepère escaped when the police arrived and shot the gunmen, he still felt the actions of the media had endangered his life. So, he sued them for revealing his whereabouts and for putting his life at risk. (source)
8 A man sued a hospital for misdiagnosing him with cancer.
John Brandrick, a 62-year-old man, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer by the Royal Cornwall Hospital, England. He was told that he would only live a few months. To make the most out of his remaining life, he quit his job and spent all his life’s savings splurging on hotels, restaurants, and holidays.
A year later, the doctors changed their diagnosis to pancreatitis, which is a non-fatal disease. Since Brandrick believed that he only had limited time to live, he got rid of his car, clothes, and even put up his house for sale. And since he was broke by the time he got the new diagnosis, he sought compensation from the hospital for the misdiagnosis which cost him his life’s savings. (source)
