55-year Old Southern California Woman Becomes 5th To Die After Using Lap-Band
5th Person Dies After Lap-Band Surgery
Paula Rojeski of Orange County died on September 8th shortly after having a Lap-Band weight reduction procedure. Emergency Medical Technicians rushed Rojeski from the Valley Surgical Center to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Los Angeles County coroner's office has performed an autopsy but has not yet released their findings.
Rojeski, who was a buyer for an aerospace firm, told family that she was looking forward to the Lap-Band surgery and according to friends, she thought it would be a life-changing procedure. She is now the fifth person to die shortly after Lap-Band procedures at clinics affiliated with the 1-800-GET-THIN advertising campaign, according to lawsuits, coroner's records and interviews.
The Lap-Band is a silicone ring that is surgically implanted around the stomach to discourage overeating. The Food and Drug Administration says that the procedure is meant for obese adults.
1-800-GET-THIN, the pervasive marketing campaign seen by millions has led to a flurry of Lap-Band weight-loss surgeries across California. More than 100,000 potential consumers called the 1-800-GET-THIN hotline in its first year and a half of business, resulting in more than 10,000 scheduled surgeries, according to documents filed by the marketing company in a trademark lawsuit. The surgeries do range in cost from $12,000 to approximately $20,000.
Since 2009, four other patients have died after undergoing Lap-Band surgery.
The patients' deaths and injuries have led to a series of wrongful-death and personal injury lawsuits against 1-800-GET-THIN, its affiliated surgery centers and doctors who performed the procedures. Wrongful death suits attempt to recover financial compensation for damages suffered such as mental anguish, loss of companionship, loss of income, expected loss of services, protection, care and assistance, death and burial expenses, medical expenses, loss of benefits and pain and suffering.
In 2010 one of many wrongful death lawsuits was filed on behalf of another victim. Danielle Delango of Yonkers, NY died less than two months after her Lap-Band weight-loss surgery and her family claims that the Lap-Band was defective and was responsible for her death. Another New Yorker, Rebecca Quatinetz, died just 66 days after and a wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by her mother.
Contributing writer Emery Brett Ledger is a nationally recognized Personal Injury Attorney
Posted by
