Doctor awarded $6 million in compensation following complaint he ‘touched his nose a lot’: US
Dr John Farmer’s career was derailed by an anonymous and unsubstantiated complaint, a jury found.
A family doctor has received $US3.7 million ($5.56 million) in compensation after his career was derailed by a patient complaint that he appeared impaired, on the basis “he kept touching his nose”.
The three-and-a-half-year legal saga began when Dr John Farmer, then still in training, conducted a routine appointment with two children.
It caused their mother to complain to the health service, Baptist Health in Madisonville, Kentucky, that Dr Farmer was impaired.
This was based on Dr Farmer “touching his nose a lot”, his legal claim for damages stated.
