Man Wins Record-Breaking $412 Million Payout After 'Invasive' Penile Injections Caused Irreversible Damage
A men's health clinic was accused of misdiagnosing a man in his 60s and treating him with unnecessary erectile dysfunction shots
A man in New Mexico has won what his lawyers say is the biggest medical malpractice payout awarded by a United States jury after a series of botched penile injections.
Jurors awarded the man — who is now in his 70s and has not been named — $412 million in punitive and compensatory damages following the medical malpractice trial in Albuquerque in November 2024. It is believed to be a record-breaking sum in the nation.
In the trial, NuMale Medical Center and company officials were accused of misdiagnosing the patient and treating him with unnecessary and "invasive erectile dysfunction shots" that caused permanent damage, NBC News reported.
The man’s lawyers said the incident stems back to 2017 when, at age 66, he visited the clinic looking for help for fatigue and weight loss. A lawsuit was filed in 2020.
"It's a national record-setting case and it's righteous because I don't think there's any place for licensed professionals to be defrauding patients for money. That is a very egregious breach of their fiduciary duty," said attorney Lori Bencoe, according to CBS News. "That's breach of trust and anytime someone is wearing a white coat, they shouldn't be allowed to do that."
A second trial lawyer, Nick Rowley, told KRQE News 13: “This corporate scheme manipulates and uses fear as a tactic to convince these men to do this."
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NuMale Medical Center told KRQE News 13 that they “disagree with the verdict and intend to pursue all available legal remedies, including appeal.”
NuMale Medical Center President Brad Palubicki told The Associated Press in a statement that the company is focused on providing responsible care and adhering to strict safety standards at all clinics.
"While we respect the judicial process, due to ongoing legal proceedings, we cannot comment on specific details of the case at this time," Palubicki added.
Beyond New Mexico, NuMale Medical Center has clinics in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin.