LOS ANGELES – A doctor won $3.9 million in a lawsuit that said the attorney whose advice he sought during a state investigation had helped trigger the probe that cost him his license.

A Superior Court jury found Wednesday in favor of Dr. Irvin Strub in his negligent legal representation lawsuit against the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, part of the Kaiser Permanente health chain.

Strub lost his license when he was 84 after allegations that he bungled an examination of a patient at a Kaiser hospital in Riverside. Kaiser fired Strub and reported him to the California Medical Board.

Strub's lawsuit claimed that he sought advice from Kaiser staff attorney Paul Deiter after learning he was under investigation, but was never told that Deiter had a role in opening the investigation.

During trial, Deiter denied any conflict.

“We respectfully disagree with the jury verdict,” said a statement from Socorro Serrano, a Kaiser representative. “The Southern California Permanente Medical Group believes that it acted properly, in good faith, and in the best interest of our patients by reporting Dr. Strub to the medical board.”

Strub, now 87, said Thursday that he intends to continue seeking reinstatement of his license.

Information from: Daily Journal