Dr. David Lawrence Goldman, MD

Will not see this Dr. again!!

Dr. Goldman has taken almost 10 years of my life. Because of his neglect I have permanent paralysis. He used a mesh implant in 2007 that has been recalled. It caused a bone spur to grow in my spine cutting off nerves from my spinal cord. 6 months later he said my surgery would have to be redone. I requested that we wait a few more months as I had just recovered from the drug cocktail I'd been on for 2 years. When I returned a few months later he reviewed his notes, slapped my chart closed told me I was not a good candidate for surgery and walked out of the room. 4 years later the pain became unbearable. I made an appointment. I waited 6 weeks. It took him 9 months to diagnose me. This is because he also works at Skagit Valley and is only in Bellingham 1 week per month. He never bothered to tell me this. I ended up in the ER and my treating physician there called the facility and told them that I needed surgery NOW! 5 days later I had my pre-op visit with Goldman. He went into detail… explaining my surgery. He said he already had a patient scheduled for the time slot he was giving me, but since I was losing use of my left side, my surgery took precedence. He said he was going to reschedule the other patient. I met her in the lobby the morning of my surgery. I was prepped for surgery. When I came to my partner explained that Goldman had changed his mind and used a microplate procedure in lieu of the fusion we had agreed upon. A micro plate was never mentioned. It is my belief that he chose this option out of greed! There shouldn't have even been a micro plate in the operating room. He chose this so he could get both patients, myself and another lady in the time frame he was allowed by the hospital. The surgery failed. I had a second surgery 3 months later. Also failed. I saw 2 of his colleagues at the same facility and they drug it out another year. I've been bed ridden for the better part of 2 years.He has no bedside manor and little compassion for how deeply his actions affect peoples lives. My suggestion is that he retire and take his nurse, Cheryl with him. Avoid 4th Corner Neurosurgery at all costs. I've lost everything. I'm now working with the UW. They were appalled at the damage this man did to my body. I'll never get back the things he took from me. I made the mistake for you.

My experience with Dr. Goldman and a difficult surgery (8hr) was a good one. I had a difficult anterior discetomy with fusion on 3 cervical levels that included discovering and removing a very large bone spur during surgery. I am thankful to have had a very experienced neurosurgeon who consulted with experts when thee going got rough. Dr. Goldman has been very good to explain what my problems were and what he would be doing in surgery. I recommend him.

It has taken me almost one year from the date of the devastating loss of my boyfriend who was treated by Dr.Goldman in response to a fatal auto accident. I wanted to post this response to help others understand that my experience with dr.goldman was very negative. He displayed horrific bedside manner and proved to be void of compassion in his method of detailing what happened to my boyfriend's brain "as it spilled out on top of him as he was performing emergency surgery and therefore could not even save a stem cell..." I have been inflicted with trauma from the time of my meeting with the doctor in which I heard the news that my boyfriend was not going to make it as well as the un-necessary details of his procedure...