A New Mexico jury has awarded over $412 million in a medical malpractice case involving a men’s health clinic operating across several states. The plaintiff’s attorneys celebrated the verdict, calling it the largest ever in a U.S. medical malpractice case, hoping it will prevent others from falling victim to a scheme involving fraud and harmful penile injections. They described the award as both punitive and compensatory.
Lori Bencoe, one of the plaintiff’s attorneys, expressed that this case sets a national record and highlights the serious breach of trust when licensed professionals defraud patients. “There’s no place for that in the medical field,” she said.
The case stems from a lawsuit filed in 2020, accusing NuMale Medical Center of misdiagnosing the 66-year-old man in 2017, who sought treatment for fatigue and weight loss. The clinic allegedly prescribed invasive erectile dysfunction injections, which caused irreversible harm.
Nick Rowley, another attorney for the plaintiff, claimed the medical corporation ran a fraudulent scheme to exploit elderly men, pressuring them into agreeing to weekly injections by telling them they would face irreversible damage otherwise.
In response, NuMale Medical Center President Brad Palubicki stated that the clinic focuses on delivering responsible patient care while adhering to safety and compliance standards. He added that, due to ongoing legal proceedings, the company could not comment further on the specifics of the case.
The jury found that fraudulent, negligent, and unconscionable conduct by NuMale and its officials led to damages, violating the Unfair Practices Act. The clinic operates in several states, including Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.