Dr. Mario Adajar is an internal medicine specialist practicing in West Wyoming, Pennsylvania. He is (now) an amputee and the plaintiff in our story. His adversary is Dr. Michael Baloga Jr., a podiatrist practicing in the same area.  

Dr. Adajar (the internist) sued Dr. Baloga (podiatrist) for the “needless amputation” of his right leg. It isn’t often we discuss a doctor suing another doctor for medical malpractice, but doctors are patients, too. When they experience a negative outcome, they sometimes sue. 

Here are the facts as we understand them… 

Dr. Adajar allegedly suffered from an ulcer located on his right foot. Dr. Adajar has Type II diabetes, which presented obvious challenges. He was also recovering from kidney transplant surgery. He claims he discussed these conditions in detail with Baloga during their initial consultation. Treatment began in December 2020. 

Allegations state Dr. Baloga treated his patient for several months, debriding his ulcer on multiple occasions. According to the case records, the debriding was “necessary to prevent limb loss due to underlying medical co-morbidities.” This obviously references the patient’s diabetes and recent kidney transplant. 

The lawsuit alleges Dr. Baloga debrided the wound a total of ten times – once during their initial consultation, and nine more times over the course of treatment.  

By June 2021, Dr. Adajar’s pain worsened, and he struggled to walk. Dr. Baloga allegedly applied a total contact cast to the injured foot. Adajar headed to the ER the following day with a fever of 102 degrees and excruciating pain in his right foot. 

“At the emergency department, the internist’s condition reportedly began to decline as he went into septic shock, followed by atrial fibrillation and acute hypoxic respiratory failure that required intubation. Adajar was then diagnosed with gram-negative bacilli bacteremia. According to legal documents, the ulcer in his right foot had also developed a severe infection and gas gangrene.” 

Dr. Adajar never recovered feeling in his injured limb. Doctors amputated the bottom half of his right leg to save his life. The lawsuit claims the aggressive debriding, followed by the contact cast, enabled infection: 

“…had proper, medical intervention taken place, Dr. Adajar would not have required such intense intervention and would not have had his leg amputated… [the team] knew or should have known that a total contact leg cast was inappropriate and dangerous given Dr. Adajar’s prior medical condition.” 

At the time of this article’s publication, the case has not been resolved, and media outlets cannot reach Dr. Baloga for comment. Dr. Adajar is seeking $50,000 plus in damages as well as the costs related to arbitration.  

Some points to consider… 

Dr. Mario Adajar’s multiple medical conditions made the prospect of treating his injured foot risky. His diabetes and recent organ transplant elevated the likelihood of severe infection. In short, his pre-existing conditions made him vulnerable.  

On the other hand, doctors train to treat challenging patients, and podiatrists often treat patients with compromised immune systems – elderly, diabetic patients come to mind. It is unlikely Dr. Adajar was the first diabetic patient Dr. Baloga treated.  

The loss of a leg is a horrific outcome. But no doctor wakes up determined to cause harm.  Whether or not this outcome was preventable is to be determined.  

Perhaps the podiatrists in the house can enlighten us. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. 

Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

Chief Executive Officer and Founder

Dr. Jeffrey Segal, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Medical Justice, is a board-certified neurosurgeon. Dr. Segal is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons; the American College of Legal Medicine; and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. He is also a member of the North American Spine Society. In the process of conceiving, funding, developing, and growing Medical Justice, Dr. Segal has established himself as one of the country’s leading authorities on medical malpractice issues, counterclaims, and internet-based assaults on reputation.

Dr. Segal was a practicing neurosurgeon for approximately ten years, during which time he also played an active role as a participant on various state-sanctioned medical review panels designed to decrease the incidence of meritless medical malpractice cases.

Dr. Segal holds a M.D. from Baylor College of Medicine, where he also completed a neurosurgical residency. Dr. Segal served as a Spinal Surgery Fellow at The University of South Florida Medical School. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa as well as the AOA Medical Honor Society. Dr. Segal received his B.A. from the University of Texas and graduated with a J.D. from Concord Law School with highest honors.

In 2000, he co-founded and served as CEO of DarPharma, Inc, a biotechnology company in Chapel Hill, NC, focused on the discovery and development of first-of-class pharmaceuticals for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dr. Segal is also a partner at Byrd Adatto, a national business and health care law firm. Byrd Adatto was selected as a Best Law Firm in the 2021 edition of the “Best Law Firms” list by U.S. News – Best Lawyers. With over 50 combined years of experience in serving doctors, dentists, and other providers, Byrd Adatto has a national pedigree to address most legal issues that arise in the business and practice of medicine.