COLORADO CITIZENS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY We are individuals, families, professionals and business owners who believe we must educate ourselves and future generations to take action to protect our health, safety and financial security and to provide equal access to the justice system. Each year thousands of Colorado citizens. are killed or injured because of medical negligence, are inadequately protected by the insurance industry which unfairly raises rates, refuses to pay for care and charges more for less, are injured or killed by unsafe pharmaceutical and other products, environmental hazards, drunk and careless drivers, or unfairly lose their jobs, their health insurance or their hard-earned pension benefits. We are working to provide citizens with the information they need - to protect themselves from medical negligence.to protect themselves from unfair insurance industry practices.to protect their property, health, safety and financial well-being. We are working to protect the rights of average citizens to access the justice system the same as the powerful and the influential.
| Our Stories |
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| Our Stories |
These are our stories, the real life stories faced by CCA and our members.
To share your story, please email us at stories@coloradocitizensforaccountability.org
Michael Skolnik, Son of Patty and David Skolnik - CCA Founders
After Michael passed out in September 2001, a CT scan showed that he might have a colloid cyst in his brain. His primary doctor ordered an MRI and his mother, Patty, consulted with a neurosurgeon, who said it was urgent to place Michael in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for observation. The neurosurgeon did not mince words; Michael needed to have brain surgery within two days.
After he arrived in his hospital room, a nurse holding a hand drill arrived to assist the doctor in putting in the ventricular drain. “They did it in his hospital room… with a hand drill,” said Michael’s parents. Four days later, Michael’s three-hour surgery spiraled into a six-hour ordeal. Hours later when the surgeon came to speak to the Skolniks, he said he “never found the cyst, but had to do heavy manipulation of his brain.” The doctor then took the weekend off.
Upon further examination of the CT scan, it became evident that the neurosurgeon’s pressure to rush Michael into surgery was unwarranted. This marked the beginning of a 32-month nightmare of brain surgeries, infections, pulmonary embolisms, DVTs (blood clots causing severe damage to the brain, lungs, and heart), paralysis, and more than $4,000,000 in medical bills.
Michael’s parents turned their home into an ICU unit and learned how to care for Michael. In June of 2004, when Michael had a severe seizure after the attending nurse fell asleep while he was supposed to be monitoring him. He was rushed by ambulance to the hospital, but it was already too late. The fluids in his lungs led to pneumonia, and, on June 4, Michael looked his father in the eyes, mouthed the words, “I love you,” and died. Return to "Our Stories" page...