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Zarzaur Law P.A.

Zarzaur Law Files Civil Lawsuit Against 
Thomas J. Shaknovsky, D.O., Sacred Heart Health System, Inc., dba Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, et al.

PENSACOLA, Fla. (JANUARY 30, 2025) —  Zarzaur Law, P.A., a catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death law firm based in Pensacola, Florida, announced today that the firm’s senior partner and founder, Joe Zarzaur, has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family of Mr. William Bryan in Walton County against Thomas J. Shaknovsky, D.O., Sacred Heart Health System, Inc., dba Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, et al. The suit involves the egregious actions that directly contributed to the death of William Bryan, by removing his liver instead of his spleen and of the alleged cover up that occurred after the event. Dr. Shaknovsky, Defendant Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast and Defendant Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast’s employee nurses had an obligation to accurately report Mr. Bryan’s death and they misrepresented the cause of death. The hospital actors include the CMO and CEO of Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast. Hospital and staff allegedly engaged in a cover up of the surgeon’s errors, the falsification of the death certificate, and falsification of other state death records.

The suit alleges that On August 21, 2024, Dr. Shaknovsky proceeded with a hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy procedure. During this operation, Dr. Shaknovsky removed Mr. Bryan’s liver and, in so doing, transected the major vasculature supplying the liver, causing immediate and catastrophic blood loss resulting in death. The surgeon proceeded with labeling the removed liver specimen as a “spleen,” and it wasn’t until following the death that it was identified that the organ removed was actually Mr. Bryan’s liver, as opposed to the spleen. The surgeon and hospital staff told Mrs. Bryan after the procedure that the “spleen” was so diseased that it was four times bigger than usual and had migrated to the other side of Mr. Bryan’s body. Typical human anatomy dictates that the liver naturally exists on the opposite side of the abdominal cavity, and it is several times larger than the spleen. The hospital, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, had previously been notified that Dr. Shaknovsky was unskilled and had many previous instances of adverse events that the hospital allegedly ignored. 

Attorney Joe Zarzaur stated:

“This heartbreaking loss has devastated the family of William Bryan, and we are seeking justice for this senseless tragedy. Dr. Shaknovsky’s failure to meet the accepted standard of care and Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast’s involvement in the alleged cover up has caused irreparable harm, and no family should have to endure such grief due to medical negligence. We are committed to holding these actors accountable for their actions.”

Zarzaur Law Civil Lawsuit Against Thomas J. Shaknovsky, D.O., Sacred Heart Health System, Inc., dba Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, et al.

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Joe Zarzaur is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Lawyer and has obtained record jury verdicts in both Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. He and his firm have recovered more than 4 hundred million dollars for clients over the firms 25 years. The firm prides itself in only having Board Certified Civil Trial lawyers as lead lawyers on cases.  Only about 1% of Florida lawyers are board certified in civil trial.  A majority of the lawyers at Zarzaur Law have this certification. Mr. Zarzaur is also rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell  and earned the status as a Florida Super Lawyer® for several years.