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A Tasmanian man is alleging he needed to have his leg amputated after a botched knee operation and is suing a medical specialist and his regional hospital.
Wayne Ball has launched a claim for unspecified damages for medical negligence against orthopaedic surgeon Dr Richard Hocking and the North West Regional Hospital in Burnie following a left knee replacement in 2014.
The 61-year-old from Ulverstone alleges in a writ filed in the Burnie Supreme Court yesterday that the operation was unsuccessful because Dr Hocking, who was employed as a locum, did not have the necessary skill and care to perform the procedure.
After the operation, Mr Ball claims his leg became infected and there was instability and other complications with his knee that were not adequately treated.
He says two years later he was forced to have his leg amputated.
Mr Ball alleges he was not told about Dr Hocking's professional history, which includes being suspended by the Medical Board of Australia, a decision that was later overturned.
Mr Ball's claim also alleges the Burnie hospital failed to adequately supervise Dr Hocking and due to Mr Ball's age and complex health history, he should have been referred to a specialist facility.
He is asking to be compensated for lost earnings and superannuation, medical expenses including for a prosthetic knee replacement, and rehabilitation.
Dr Hocking is now working for Bundaberg Hospital in Queensland and has no current medical restrictions limiting his practice.
He has also set up his own private practice called Coral Coast Orthopaedics.
Dr Hocking claims on his website that previous medical complaints against him were part of a vindictive campaign.
"Complaints to professional regulators about marketplace competitors is one of the modes of harassment that has unfortunately been noted to be commonplace," he wrote.
"A campaign of complaints … became a media sensation.
"Having now resolved the claims made against him, Dr Hocking decided that a change in pace and climate was in order, and so made the decision to move to a rural Qld practice."
Dr Hocking has been contacted for a response.
Topics: health, doctors-and-medical-professionals, medical-procedures, law-crime-and-justice, burnie-7320, tas, bundaberg-4670, australia