$140 Million Awarded to 255 Patients of Hudson Valley Doctor

Over 250 patients of a Hudson Valley doctor were awarded a total of $140 million in their malpractice suits.

A New York arbitrator awarded $140 million to 255 patients of former Dutchess County-based orthopedist Spyros Panos, according to the attorney's handling 150 malpractice cases against the former doctor.

“The long and short of it is that he engaged in a 10-year pattern of fraud and abuse, faking surgeries for people who didn’t need them or faking them for people who really needed surgery,” said John "J.T." Wisell of Wisell & McGee, according to Yahoo.

Once approved by the court, individual settlements will range from $15,500 to $3.8 million, according to the lawyers.

Hundreds of complaints were filed against Panos, of Hopewell Junction, and his former employer, Mid Hudson Medical Group. The complaints stated Panos operated on people who didn't need surgery or didn't fully treat patients so he could perform a second or third surgery.

“This is vindication for every patient of Dr. Panos who was lied to and treated like they did something wrong,” Wisell said.

In 2013, Panos gave up his medical license and pleaded guilty to health care fraud. He was sentenced to over four years in prison.

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In April 2018, he was charged with wire fraud, health care fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with an alleged scheme in which he assumed the identity of a licensed orthopedic surgeon and obtained over $860,000 in payments for reviewing patient files in Workers Compensation cases.

Panos continues to deny any malpractice, Yahoo reports.