DHD Partner Brandon Minde Secures Defense Verdict

On Thursday, September 12, 2024, Brandon Minde secured a defense verdict in a medical malpractice case following an 8-day jury trial in Essex County.  Mr. Minde represented a board-certified dermatologist against allegations that he was negligent in the administration of bleomycin to treat recalcitrant and recurrent warts and that he failed to disclose the risks of Raynaud’s Phenomenon, a known side effect of bleomycin injections.  Following treatment, the plaintiff alleged to have developed Raynaud’s Phenomenon.

Defendant testified to the reasons for his recommendation of bleomycin to treat plaintiff, his technique for injection, and his risk discussions with plaintiff.  Mr. Minde presented the expert testimony of dermatologist Dr. Jonathan T. Wolfe that defendant’s decision to treat the plaintiff with bleomycin was proper, that he had properly administered the injection of the medication, and that he had obtained an informed consent following appropriate risk discussions.  Mr. Minde also called Dr. Elliot D. Rosenstein as a rheumatology expert to dispute that the injection of bleomycin had caused plaintiff to develop Raynaud’s Phenomenon versus other alternative causes, including underlying autoimmune conditions.

The jury returned a defense verdict in favor of defendant on the issue of liability after less than one hour of deliberations and never reached the issue of causation.

Brandon Minde is a civil and criminal trial partner with Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski.  His civil litigation and trial practice focuses on defending physicians, hospitals and healthcare providers in medical negligence claims, insurance and billing fraud investigations and claims, and in professional licensing matters before professional licensing boards.  His criminal practice includes representing individuals and corporations undergoing criminal investigations or who have been charged with crimes.  Mr. Minde is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a criminal-trial attorney.