The Foot is Connected to The Hip

There’s a reason why lawyers and litigation are sometimes the only defense against medical nightmares, and this tragic case in Florida is a stark reminder of that harsh reality. William Bryan, a 70-year-old from Alabama, died after a botched surgery where a surgeon removed his liver instead of his spleen—an unimaginable mistake that turned a routine procedure into a fatal catastrophe. Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, the surgeon at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital, had convinced Bryan that his spleen was oversized, diseased, and had shifted to the other side of his body, urging him to go under the knife. Instead, Shaknovsky removed Bryan’s liver, causing catastrophic blood loss and immediate death.

But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find this isn’t the first time Dr. Shaknovsky’s scalpel has strayed. In 2023, he made a similar error, removing parts of a pancreas instead of an adrenal gland—another “whoops” moment quietly settled behind closed doors. Now, the hospital claims it's "performing a thorough investigation," but these reassurances ring hollow for Bryan’s family. When doctors make life-ending mistakes like these, it’s clear why litigation is not just necessary but vital in holding them accountable. Sometimes, it’s the courtroom that delivers the justice missing in the operating room.