Heparin is an anticoagulant medication used every day in every hospital in the United States. It is used to decrease the clotting ability of the blood and to help prevent harmful clots from forming in blood vessels.
While it is commonly referred to as a blood thinner, it does not actually thin the blood. In cases of heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (HIT or HITT), it actually causes the opposite effect for which it is designed. Rather than prevent blood from clotting, it causes the formation of harmful blood clots. This can result in amputation of limbs and in some cases the death of the patient.
Jeffrey “Jack” Gordon, the managing partner of MANEY | GORDON Trial Lawyers, sat down with us to discuss this niche area of medical malpractice law and his firm’s work in this field.
“Most of our cases are referred to our firm by other lawyers, physicians, and judges,” Gordon says. “Some years ago, one of our colleagues referred a patient who had suffered amputation of both her legs following a somewhat routine cardiac procedure.”
They learned she had suffered this adverse reaction to heparin that was not timely appreciated by her physicians. This first case was the foundation of a growing niche practice for the firm.
“Medical malpractice cases are extremely difficult to win, and when you do prevail, it can end up being a less favorable result than you would have wanted for your client,” Gordon says. “So why do we pursue the more complex and more challenging cases for potentially less money? Because I’m much more committed to the craft of lawyering than I am to the notion of being a good businessman. I remain fascinated, entranced, and seduced by the science and the medicine. The more difficult cases, those that require more energy, effort, and resources, tend to be the most intriguing cases to prosecute. And I think good lawyers tend to be motivated and inspired by these more complex challenges.”
This dedication to conquering difficult cases is reflected in his pursuit of state and national board certifications in medical malpractice law, civil trial law, and civil pretrial practice law.
“When I was a younger lawyer, and when I first began trying cases, I was essentially flying solo,” Gordon says. “I recognized that our system of law and trials was an adversarial process, and not unlike other endeavors, that there was an advantage to having more support and assistance. In prosecuting medical malpractice cases, I studied the systems of medicine and came to understand that medicine is a more cooperative process, wherein personnel from different specialties and perspectives would collaborate for the benefit of the patient.”
While developing his law firm, Gordon wanted to create a legal environment that mirrored that concept of a teaching hospital. “I wanted that dynamic exchange of ideas and opinions to bloom and inspire our staff to learn and hone the craft of trial lawyering.”
The firm has no case managers or departments. “Every case is reviewed, researched and discussed (often argued about), and prosecuted by our trial team.”
Two lawyers and two paralegals are assigned to every potential claim to determine whether there is a meritorious cause of action and how best to strategically prepare and prosecute the case to trial and verdict.
When it comes to screening cases, Gordon leans on the insight from some of the best medical professors and scientific experts – “the devil is in the details.”
“It takes patience and a willingness to devote long hours to reviewing hundreds, sometimes thousands, of pages of medical records to determine if the HIT condition should have been appreciated earlier,” he says.
Since that first HIT case, MANEY | GORDON Trial Lawyers has established itself within this niche area of medical malpractice. Today, a growing number of attorney referrals bring them cases from across the nation.
“I would suggest, as humbly as possible, that our case record has driven this response. HIT and HITT are very niche conditions so reputations, for better or worse, tend to spread quickly. Fortunately for us, by prosecuting and winning these cases, we’ve garnered justice for families and brought about crucial improvements in hospital policies and protocols. And although we’re based in Tampa, Florida, word continues to spread, and we now represent cases in over a dozen states.
“The overwhelming amount of referrals has shown that we have earned the trust of our colleagues in the legal industry well beyond those in our backyard. It is an honor and a responsibility we do not take lightly.”
For more than 40 years, MANEY | GORDON Trial Lawyers has anchored its practice on a mission statement that prioritizes compassion, ethics and relentless client advocacy. “Our guiding principles emphasize genuine client relationships, uncompromising professional integrity, and the courage to fight for true advocacy.”
To learn more visit fightnegligence.com.
