A person who is injured expects to receive adequate care and treatment from doctors and medical staff. Patients certainly do not expect that they will walk out of a hospital or doctor’s office in a worse condition than when they arrived. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened in a recent medical malpractice case in New York.
Almost ten years ago, a New York man slipped on some steps as he made his way into work as a public safety dispatcher, breaking one of his ankles. He subsequently sought treatment for his injury from a doctor at an orthopedic practice. Later, he began experiencing significant pain on the side of his foot near his little toe. This intense pain prompted him to seek treatment from another doctor. From 2005 to 2009, a surgeon at a knee center began performing surgeries on his little toe in hopes of alleviating the patient’s pain. Eventually, however, the surgeon amputated the patient’s little toe.
Sometime after this amputation, the patient developed an infection, and the doctor was forced to amputate the fourth toe. The patient’s pain persisted, and in July 2009 the knee surgeon amputated the leg just below the knee. Once again, the patient developed another post-surgical infection which required the amputation of the remaining leg above the knee. After these surgeries in 2009, the patient no longer was able to work. In all, the patient underwent twelve surgeries from various doctors in New York. Following all of these surgeries, the patient filed a medical malpractice suit against his treating doctors and surgeons.
After a trial that lasted 15 days, the jury in the medical malpractice case delivered a verdict in favor of the patient and awarded him $9.1 million. He was awarded $2 million for past pain and suffering, $4 million for future pain and suffering, and $2.8 million for past and future medical expenses and loss of wages. The jury also awarded $350,000 to the patient’s former wife for loss of services.
Certainly the original fall and injury were difficult and painful enough for this patient and his family. Unfortunately, it turned terrible when the medical care by surgeons caused further injuries and multiple additional surgeries. No patient expects to find themselves involved in a medical malpractice suit against doctors who are specially trained to help individuals. But when medical mistakes occur, and you are injured as a result, it is important to take action. By doing so, medical malpractice victims not only may be compensated for their injuries, but they also can help prevent similar unfortunate experiences and medical mistakes from happening to other patients and their families.
From hospital errors to surgical mistakes, medical malpractice happens all too often and can leave patients seriously injured. With the assistance of an experienced medical malpractice attorney, you may receive the compensation you highly deserve for injuries.
We handle cases like these all of the time in my practice.
Contact Andrew G. Slutkin with further questions or inquiries at 410-385-2786