Town Doctor Gets Donations To Pay Lawsuit

The town’s only doctor says he’s grateful for the community donations that will help him pay a big chunk of the $198,000 he owes to a woman who sued him for malpractice.

“The community decided to rescue me, and I appreciate it,” Dr. Tom Van Eaton said Thursday.

Van Eaton will pay the money to 83-year-old Lucienne Koyle, who sued him in 1995 after his assistant misdiagnosed her broken leg as a sprain. Another doctor later recognized the break and performed surgery.

Mayor Kirk Heinz led an effort to raise money and keep Van Eaton in town after the doctor said he might have to sell his practice to pay the judgement.

A $93,000 check was cut earlier this week to help settle the lawsuit, Heinz said. By this week, a total of $104,000 had been raised, and donations continue to come in, Heinz said.

Van Eaton, whose grandfather founded the town, said Thursday that he had been sure he would have to sell his practice because he has debts totaling $460,000. That includes the $198,000 judgement and previous borrowing to cover legal bills and other things, he said.

Van Eaton said he will pay Koyle using $93,000 in donations and money he has borrowed. He’ll use any additional donations to pay off that debt.

He said his assistant, Howard Hull, shouldn’t have to pay.

“At this point, I’m the one that’s paying,” the doctor said. “It’s wonderful. It’s a very positive thing in some senses.”