Charleston Area Medical Center Agrees to $40 Million Class Action Settlement Over Unnecessary Hernia Surgery Allegations

Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) has agreed to pay $40 million to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging thousands of weight-loss surgery patients were subjected to medically unnecessary hernia repairs. If you underwent bariatric surgery at CAMC involving former hospital physicians, you may be eligible to receive a cash payment once the proposed settlement receives final approval from the court.

What Led to the $40 Million CAMC Bariatric Surgery Settlement?

The class action litigation was originally initiated in April 2025 following widespread notification efforts by Charleston Area Medical Center. The hospital began reaching out directly to former patients regarding surgical procedures conducted during routine weight-loss operations.

According to legal filings, the lawsuit focused on claims that patients undergoing bariatric procedures were also given hernia repair surgeries that were not medically required. The complaint named CAMC alongside Dr. Robert Shin and Dr. Samuel Rossi, two physicians who were previously affiliated with the medical facility but are no longer employed there.

Attorneys representing affected patients pursued legal action to hold the medical system accountable, asserting that patients were subjected to additional physical trauma, prolonged recovery times, and potential surgical risks without proper clinical justification. Rather than continuing a lengthy court battle, the parties engaged in out-of-court negotiations that ultimately produced the $40 million resolution.

How Many Patients Were Affected by the Alleged Unnecessary Surgeries?

Legal representatives estimate that the settlement class encompasses more than 4,000 individuals who received treatment at the Charleston, West Virginia facility. Patients impacted by these procedures were typically undergoing weight-reduction operations when additional, unneeded hernia repairs were performed.

If you received bariatric treatment at CAMC, you are far from alone. Medical class actions of this scale allow everyday people to join together, ensuring that large healthcare organizations take responsibility for clinical practices that harm or mislead patients.

What Are the Rights of Patients Under Healthcare and Informed Consent Laws?

When you undergo medical procedures, you put your health and life in the hands of healthcare professionals. Medical standards of care and state healthcare laws require physicians and hospital systems to perform only those treatments that are medically appropriate and to obtain valid, informed consent prior to operating.

Performing extra or unneeded surgical steps during an authorized procedure can breach professional standards, violate patient autonomy, and expose individuals to avoidable post-operative complications, infections, and extended recovery periods.

Class action lawsuits serve as a critical tool under civil law, giving patients a unified voice to hold major hospital networks accountable when systematic errors or inappropriate surgical practices occur across a large group of individuals.

Who Is Eligible to Receive Financial Compensation from the Settlement?

You may be eligible to join the class action settlement and receive a financial payout if you satisfy specific patient criteria set forth in the agreement.

You may be eligible if:

• You underwent a bariatric (weight-loss) surgery at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC).

• Your procedure involved hernia repair surgical work performed by Dr. Robert Shin or Dr. Samuel Rossi.

• You received official notification from CAMC regarding your surgical review or fit within the class period specified in court filings.

Once the presiding judge grants formal judicial approval to the $40 million deal, eligible class members will be cleared to receive monetary compensation from the settlement fund.