Hulk Hogan Sues Spine Clinic

Hulk Hogan sues spine clinic for millions, alleging unnecessary surgeries ‘severely damaged’ his career

Famed pro-wrestler Hulk Hogan has filed a multi-million-dollar medical malpractice lawsuit against Tampa, Fla.-based spine doctors, alleging he was the victim of unnecessary surgeries which “severely damaged” his career.

In a statement, attorneys with the Palm Harbor, Fla.-headquartered Florin Roebig firm say they’re representing Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, in a lawsuit filed Monday against the Laser Spine Institute, LLC.

Reached by phone, an LSI spokeswoman said that the company acknowledged the filing of the suit, but “to protect patient privacy as well as the legal process, we do not discuss the details of litigation matters.”

The lawsuit alleges that Bollea, “due to LSI’s monetary rather than medical motives, became the victim of multiple unnecessary endoscopic surgical procedures that further destabilized his already existing injured back ... during the last chapter of an internationally successful athletic and entertainment career,” the statement said.

The suit, which was filed in Pinellas County circuit court, alleges Bollea suffered lost income in excess of $50 million.

It accuses LSI of advertising endoscopic procedures as a less-intrusive alternative to traditional surgery “through scare tactics,” while failing to inform patients that its procedures “only temporarily treat symptoms and cannot treat and provide a long term solution ...”

According to the lawsuit, the wrestler underwent multiple LSI procedures, but never experienced more than temporary relief from his back pain, for which other doctors had recommended a more intrusive procedure.

The suit says Bollea became suspicious of LSI after reading a critical report published by Bloomberg.com in 2011, which quoted other lawsuits filed against the company, as well as other doctors working in the field.