Posted On: May 31, 2009

Sacramento-area Family Files Medical Malpractice Action, Part 9 of 9

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

DAMAGES
As to Alexandra, the damage to his body speaks for itself. Plaintiffs presented substantial and credible evidence on this issue with the testimony of Dr. Peter W., Dr. Nathaniel T., Dr. Paul U., and Dr. Marilyn S.. All testified to the nature and extent of the severe and permanent injuries suffered by Alexandra, and Dr. W. testified to those things that Alexandra will need in the future by way of the life care plan.

Plaintiffs additionally presented substantial and credible evidence with Dr. David R. and Mr. Anastos concerning the nature and extent of Alexandra's disability as it related to his ability to work and the economic impact of that disability.

The jury obviously carefully considered the plaintiffs' expert witness testimony and the defense expert witness testimony and reached a compromise on the economic damages suffered by Alexandra. The award was reasonable and in line with the substantial and credible evidence produced by plaintiffs.

As to general damages, it was the jury's judgment that Mrs. Brown suffered $1,000,000.00 in general damages being witness to the injuries suffered by her child at birth and dealing with those injuries and their sequela.

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Posted On: May 29, 2009

Child Suffers Permanent Brain Damage At Sacramento-area Hospital, Part 8 of 9

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

THE ISSUE OF VERDICT BASED ON INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
The Defendants' Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Motion for New Trial contends that there was insufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict in favor of plaintiffs. Defendants' motion is based upon little more than argument of counsel and not the evidence considered by the jury in this matter. This alone is reason to deny defendants' motion. However, as this court is well aware, the evidence introduced at trial is more than sufficient to support the jury's verdict.

California Code of Civil Procedure, Section 657 states, in part:
A new trial shall not be granted upon the ground of insufficiency of the evidence to justify the verdict or other decision, nor upon the ground of excessive or inadequate damages, unless after weighing the evidence the court is convinced from the entire record, including reasonable inferences there from, that the court or jury clearly should have reached a different verdict or decision.

In deciding a motion for new trial based upon insufficiency of the evidence, the court's function is to determine whether...there is sufficient credible evidence to support the verdict. Zurian v. Wahl Shoe Company, Inc., (1994) 22 Cal. 4th 397, citing People v. Robarge, (1953) 41 Cal. 2d 628, 633.

In ruling on a motion for new trial based upon insufficiency of the evidence, the trial court should not disregard the verdict or decide what results should have been reached if the case had been tried without a jury. Dominguez v. Pantalone, (1989) 212 Cal.App.3d 201, 215.

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Posted On: May 27, 2009

Birth Injury At Roseville Medical Facility Due To Malpractice, Part 7 of 9

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

THE ISSUE OF INFORMED CONSENT
The defendant says that there is virtually no testimony on the issue of informed consent except Dr. Linda X.’s testimony that she failed to obtain the patient's informed consent to use the vacuum. What more is needed?

Although the plaintiff was precluded from offering testimony that she would not have consented to the vacuum's use had the risks and benefits been properly explained, there appears to be abundant testimony from the defendant himself to submit this theory of liability to the jury for its consideration. The Court is well aware no expert witness testimony is required on the issue of informed consent. Ardto v. Avedon, (1993) 5 Cal. 4th 1172.

Furthermore, the Court will recall that plaintiffs presented three distinct theories of liability against Dr. Linda X. (1) Her negligence caused the medical emergency; (2) She was negligent in management of the medical emergency; and (3) She failed to obtain Mrs. Brown's informed consent to employ the vacuum device at mid-pelvis.

Because of the multiple theories of negligence offered by plaintiffs, this jury could have found Dr. Linda X. negligent on any or all of the issues. With multiple contentions of negligence, but no special interrogatory to the jury asking which specific act or acts they deemed negligent, defendant cannot now challenge the jury's findings. They may have found her not negligent on the informed consent issue. We will never know.

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Posted On: May 24, 2009

Delivery Room Malpractice Results In Brain Injury, Part 6 of 9

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

The court had no adequate basis for a new trial order, conditional or otherwise. (Sanchez-Corea v. Bank of America, supra, 38 Cal.3d at p. 906.) We do not construe the juror declarations taken as a whole to show an express or implied agreement by the jury to inflate the verdict to include attorney fees. After examining the record, we conclude a new trial was not required as a matter of law because of alleged jury misconduct or anything else.

Under like circumstances the court in Moore v. Preventive Medicine Medical Group, Inc., (1986) 178 Cal.App.3d 728 [223 Cal.Rptr. 859] affirmed the denial of a new trial for jury misconduct. In Moore, two juror declarations were introduced to show a discussion among the jurors regarding the plaintiff's probable contingency fee obligation to his attorney. Distinguishing Krouse v. Graham (1977) 19 Cal.3d 59 [137 Cal.Rptr. 863, 562 P.2d 1022], the court found the declarations insufficient to establish [a]n express agreement by the jurors to include such fees in their verdict, or extensive discussion evidencing an implied agreement to the effect. [Citations.].... The declarants do not suggest an express agreement was reached and the discussion they relate could hardly be characterized as extensive, (Moore, supra, 178 Cal.App.3d at pp. 740-741, fn. Omitted.) Thompson v. Friendly Hills Medical Center, (1999) 71 Cal.4th 544, 548.

The main thrust of moving parties' argument seems to be juror discussion about money. Discussions about the appropriate size of Mrs. Brown's award and how it might be spent is simply not juror misconduct. The moving party has not cited a single authority to suggest otherwise. There is no evidence in the declarations that any juror awarded Mrs. Brown compensation not supported by evidence.

As discussed in the authorities cited above, it is acknowledged that these types of discussions are part of the give and take of the jury's secret deliberation process.

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Posted On: May 22, 2009

Parents Sue Sacramento-area Hospital For Medical Malpractice, Part 5 of 9

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

Our power over excessive damages exists only when the facts are such that the excess appears as a matter of law, or is such as to suggest at first blush, passion, prejudice, or corruption on the part of the jury, (citations omitted.) Practically, the trial court must bear the whole responsibility in every case. (Bond v. United Railroads (1911) 159 Cal. 270, 286 [113 P. 366].)

The trial judge had an opportunity to review the evidence in this case at the time of the hearing on the motion for new trial. We have also independently reviewed the evidence.
The mere fact that the judgment is large does not validate an appellant's claim that the verdict is the result of passion or prejudice of the jury. Each case must be determined on its own facts. It is only in a case where the amount of the award of general damages is so disproportionate to the injuries suffered that the result reached may be said to shock the conscience, that an appellate court will step in and reverse a judgment because of greatly excessive or grossly inadequate general damages. (Daggett v. Atchison. T. & S.F. Ry. Co., (1957) 48 Cal.2d 655, 666 [313 P.2d 557, 64 A.L.R.2d 1283].)

That result which requires reversal should clearly appear from the record. We are unable to say, as a matter of law, that the judgment in this case is so excessive as to warrant us in interfering with the finding of the jury. Di Rosario, Id. @ 1239.

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Posted On: May 19, 2009

Doctor's Errors Leave Sacramento-area Parents Distraught, Part 4 of 9

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

Defendant urges that we adopt what amounts to a rigid rule that prejudicial misconduct cannot be cured either by jury self-admonition or by admonitions from the trial court. Such a contention ignores the very purpose of permitting and requiring jury deliberations: through group discussion of the law and the evidence, our common law system trusts that jurors who express wrong ideas about the evidence, the law, and their duty as jurors will be guided to a correct view of the case. In the absence of an opportunity for jurors to express such wrong conceptions and thereafter change their thinking, a jury trial might just as well conclude with the submission of ballots from the jury box at the close of the case.
Romo v. Ford Motor Co., (2002) 99 Cal. App. 4th 1115, 1130.

Plaintiff asserts two additional instances of alleged jury misconduct. The first of these rests upon a discussion by jurors of the source of money to pay a potential judgment. Plaintiff suggests that discussion of where the money for the judgment was to come from was somehow tied to the jury's impression that defendant was a nice guy. Hence, plaintiff suggests the jury declined to find defendant liable because if was concerned about the financial impact a verdict would have upon him.

Looking to the affidavits we find the following references: Juror Smith states that one juror asked where the money would come from if the verdict was in favor of the plaintiff, whereupon several of the jurors discussed this subject; Juror Michela states that some of the jurors wondered where the money was going to come from if the jury found in favor of the plaintiff; Michela notes, in a separate paragraph that one male juror... said that David Brunicardi was a nice guy. Other jurors agreed with this statement. We find nothing in these affidavits which is sufficient to establish a bias in favor of defendant or to cause the jury to avoid imposing the financial burden on a judgment upon him. Young v. Brunicardi, (1986) 187 Cal. 3d 1344, 1352.

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Posted On: May 17, 2009

Negligence During Delivery Results In Traumatic Birth Injury, Part 3 of 9

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

Faced with the twin facts that jurors are allowed great freedom in their conduct of deliberations and that a court can never know exactly what influences resulted in a particular verdict, our judicial system has established certain presumptions for reviewing allegations of juror misconduct. Jurors ordinarily are presumed to have followed the court's instructions. (People v. Sanchez, (2001) 26 Cal. 4th 834, 852, (111 Cal. Rptr. 2d 129, 29 P. 3d 209]; Craddock v. Kmart Corp., (2001) 89 Cal. App. 4th 1300, 1308, [107 Cal. Rptr. 2d 881].) The California Supreme Court has consistently stated that on appeal, [w]e must of course, presume that the jury followed [the trial court's] instructions... People v. Chavez, (1958) 50 Cal. 2d 778, 790, [329 P.2d 907].)... In the absence of evidence to the contrary, the presumption [that the jury adhered to the limiting instructions] will control. (People v. Beach, (1983) 147 Cal. App. 3d 612, 625, (195 Cal. Rptr. 3811.) (People v. Zack, (1986) 184 Cal. App. 3d 409, 416, [229 Cal. Rptr. 317].)

On the other hand, [j]uror misconduct such as the receipt of information about a party or the case that was not part of the evidence received at trial, leads to a presumption that the defendant was prejudiced thereby and may establish juror bias. (People v. Nesler, supra, 16 Cal. 4th at p. 578.) To succeed [on a claim of jury misconduct, a party] must show misconduct on the part of a juror; if he does, prejudice is presumed; [the opposing party] must then rebut the presumption or lose the verdict. (People v. Marshall, supra, 50 Cal. 3d at p. 949.)

The presumption of prejudice in a civil case is rebutted if the reviewing court reaches one of three conclusions: (1) the record establishes the absence of prejudice; (2) a review of the entire record shows there is no reasonable probability of actual harm to the complaining party under the constitutional standard of People v. Watson, (1956) 46 Cal. 2d 818, 836, [299 P.2d 243]. (See Hasson v. Ford Motor Co., (1982) 32 Cal. 3d 388, 416-417, [185 Cal. Rptr. 654, 650 P. 2d 1171]: McDonald v. Southern Pacific Transportation Co., (1999) 71 Cal. App. 4th 256, 265, [83 Cal. Rptr. 2d 7341); or (3), in the case of possible actual bias of a juror whose vote may have been determinative of the verdict there is no substantial likelihood that at least one juror was impermissibly influenced.

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Posted On: May 15, 2009

Physician's Malpractice Results in Child's Brain Damage, Part 2 of 9

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

Interestingly, there is little decisional law on the question of what is proper discussion among jurors during deliberations, and the few cases are quite ancient. In Baker v. Borello, (1902) 136 Cal. 160, the California Supreme Court approved an instruction which told the jurors to deliberate in light of their general knowledge on the subject. Jurors, in weighing evidence, always exercise their judgment in the light of their own general knowledge of the subject in hand, whether instructed to do so or not; and a judgment will not be reversed whether they are or are not so instructed. Wagner v. Doulton, (1980) 112 Cal. App. 3d 945, 949 [169 Cal. Rptr. 550].

The court in Wagner concluded: We believe the appropriate rule has been well articulated by an opinion of a sister state: In determining what is proper and what is improper discussion among jurors, regard must be had for the fact that the jury are supposedly men (and women] of different walks of life, avocations, and necessarily views that would be affected by their past experiences and situations. They could hardly arrive at a solution of their differences without discussion of the facts before them, and each man's discussion would necessarily be tinged or affected by his own viewpoint and experience. Frazer v. State, (1924) 99 Tex. Grim. 89, (112 Cal. App. 3d at p. 950.); English v. Linn, (1994) 26 Cal. 4th 1358, 1364

Jury deliberations are secret while they are occurring. No verbatim transcript or other record of the deliberations normally exists. Declarations seeking to reconstruct deliberations after the fact may be colored by the jurors' natural inclination to protect or attack the process that resulted in the verdict depending on whether the juror agreed or disagreed with the verdict. (See Weathers v. Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, (1971) 5 Cal. 3d 98, 108-109, [95 Cal. Rptr. 516 485, P.2d 1132].) Yet, the parties' right to a jury trial is one of constitutional dimension, and we give great deference to a verdict issued by a properly instructed jury - in the normal case, without any inquiry whatsoever into the processes used to reach that verdict. Even when there are allegations of jury misconduct evidence of the jurors' mental processes is, with narrow exceptions, excluded from consideration of the right to a new trial. (In re Hamilton, supra, 20 Cal. 4th at pp. 294-295.)

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Posted On: May 12, 2009

Birth Injury At Sacramento-area Hospital, Part 1 of 9

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

Alexandra BROWN., a minor by and through her guardian ad litem, Winona Brown; Winona Brown; Sean Brown., Plaintiffs, v. Linda X., M.D., Linda X., M.D., Inc., General Medical Center, a Corporation, and Does 1 through 250, inclusive, Defendants.

March 2005.

Plaintiffs' Opposition to Defendants' Motion for New Trial (Medical Malpractice/Birth Injury)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES
I. THE IRREGULARITY IN THE PROCEEDINGS - JURY AFFIDAVITS
II. THE ISSUE OF INFORMED CONSENT
III. THE ISSUE OF VERDICT BASED ON INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
IV. DAMAGES
V. CONCLUSION

MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES

On December 8, 2004 the jury rendered a verdict in plaintiffs' favor. As set forth below the verdict is supported by substantial evidence and law. On or about January 3, 2005 the Court entered judgment on the verdict.

Plaintiffs will address each issue raised by the defendants in the order in which they were advanced in the Motion for New Trial.

THE IRREGULARITY IN THE PROCEEDINGS - JURY AFFIDAVITS
The four juror declarations submitted by the defendant are replete with discussions about the juror mental processes. The Evidence Code states in unequivocal terms that such evidence is inadmissible.

(a) Upon an inquiry as to the validity of a verdict, any otherwise admissible evidence may be received as to statements made, or conduct, conditions, or events occurring, either within or without the jury room, of such a character as is likely to have influenced the verdict improperly. No evidence is admissible to show the effect of such statement, conduct; condition, or event upon a juror either in influencing him to assent to or dissent from the verdict or concerning the mental processes by which it was determined.

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Posted On: May 10, 2009

Carmichael Hospital Patient Files Medical Malpractice Claim, Part 5 of 5.

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

G. Home Remodel or Replacement Costs

One important item which Dr. Barchuk recommended, but Ms. Albee was unable to price, was the cost of either updating the Bates’ home to accommodate her disabilities or selling the current home and buying a home that is ADA compliant in bathrooms, hallways, kitchen, bedrooms, and entries and exits. For purposes of this letter, I will estimate the cost of either choice to be $135,500.


H. Loss of Consortium: Andy Bates

Andy Bates is entitled to his own claim for general damages for loss of consortium. He is not limited by his wife’s MICRA cap of $250,000 (see Atkins v. Strayhorn (1990) 223 Cal.App.3d 1380, 1394-1396). Under MICRA he has a separate MICRA cap of $250,000. Under EADACPA he has no cap. For purposes of this letter, his claim for loss of consortium under either cause of action will be $250,000.


III. SUMMARY OF DAMAGES
Claimants have the following damage claims pursuant to their First and Second Causes of Action:

1. Cost of Life Care Plan $12,123,769.64
2. Andy Bates’ Loss of Income $ 228,080.00
3. MICRA General Damages $ 250,000.00
4. EADACPA General Damages $ 625,000.00
5. EADACPA Attorney Fees and Costs $ 312,000.00
6. Home Remodel or Replace $ 135,500.00
7. Andy Bates’ Loss of Consortium $ 250,000.00

TOTAL $13,924,349.64

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Posted On: May 8, 2009

Patient Suffers Paralysis At Citrus Heights Hospital, Part 4 of 5

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

C. Andy Bates: Loss of Income

Andy Bates is married to Susan Bates. He is currently employed as a shift leader at Denny’s Restaurant in Roseville. He works 35-40 hours per week earning $9.00 per hour. His average salary is, therefore, $333.00 per week, or $1,398.60 per month, or $16,783.20 per year.

In 2003, the Sacramento Superior Court appointed Andy and Susan as permanent legal guardians of two boys born to Susan’s brother, who were not getting proper parental care. The children were James (age 4 at the time) and Sean (age 9 months at the time). Shortly thereafter, Susan’s nephew also relinquished his parental rights to his daughter, Carli (age 5 at the time) and she was also placed with Susan and Andy. As a result, since 2003, all three children have been taken into Susan’s and Andy’s home and raised as their own children, with Andy serving as father and Susan as mother.

Prior to her paralysis Susan actively participated in caring for her family. She had an early morning job so she was off in the afternoon. She shopped for her family and cooked dinner. She cleaned the home and did the laundry and cared for the three children when they came home from school (Andy worked in the evenings) and put them to bed. She also shared the yard work.

Susan’s paralysis and care needs have placed a severe strain on the family. As a result, she has been unable to care for James, Sean and Carli. She has been unable to cook and clean as she did before.

Set forth in item B, above, are funds to hire an attendant to take care of Susan’s needs. This attendant is not, however, expected to care for the three children or perform household chores for the family.

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Posted On: May 6, 2009

Sacramento-area Woman Suffers Spinal Cord Injury In Hospital, Part 3 of 5

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

The patient will continue to require urological supplies, skin supplies, as well as bowel supplies which are delineated in the Life Care Plan.

The patient continues to require 24/7 attendant care. Her skilled needs are as follows:

1. Catheter changes
2. Wound care
3. Blood draws
4. IV antibiotic administration
5. PICC line maintenance and flushing

It is not anticipated, in view of the patient’s multiple medical problems, that she would be able to tolerate any sort of competitive employment in the future.

The patient is in need of an ADA compliant home supplied with air conditioning secondary to heat intolerance from his spinal cord injury.

The details of the above mentioned recommendations are included in the Life Care Plan Worksheet which will be reviewed with Tracy Albee, R.N., Life Care Planner.

It should be noted that as the patient ages with her spinal cord injury she will require more and more assistance and will become more and more dependent on others for her activities of daily living, self-care, grooming and hygiene, as well as mobility.

The patient should also enroll in a smoking cessation program as soon as possible.

Prior to the patient’s cervical myelopathy she was independent in all of her basic activities of daily living, self-care, grooming and hygiene and was described as a very active individual, hard working, taking pride in her family life.


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Posted On: May 4, 2009

Roseville Couple Files Claim For Medical Malpractice , Part 2 of 5

C. Third Cause of Action: Loss of Consortium

Andy Bates, husband of Susan Bates, makes a claim for loss of consortium following his wife’s total incapacity.

II. DAMAGES

A. Alex Barchuk, M.D.

In order to assess Ms. Bates’ need for ongoing medical and attendant care under both her First and Second Causes of Action, that is, for both (1) her paralysis/neurogenic bowel and bladder and (2) her stage IV sacral decubitis ulcer/colostomy bag, claimant was assessed at her
residence by Alex Barchuk, M.D., on August 29, 2007.

Dr. Barchuk is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is the Director of the Spinal Cord and Trauma Rehabilitation Program, Kentfield Rehabilitation Specialty Hospital, Kentfield, California.

Dr. Barchuk prepared a report and a DVD setting forth his findings and conclusions. Dr. Barchuk’s DVD is available for review. (The DVD contains a PowerPoint presentation that also includes a number of video clips of interviews with Mr. and Ms. Bates. Once loaded in the computer the presentation can be initiated by using your computer mouse in one of two ways. You can either scroll down to each subsequent page and then use the left click to initiate the video - - by left clicking on the video itself - - on that page, or you can left click on each image or page to advance to the next set of images or video.) Dr. Barchuk’s report and Life Care Plan Worksheet are referenced herein.

Dr. Barchuk states the following in his report beginning at page 18:

The patient is a 45-year-old married woman with history of acute cervical myelopathy status post C4 to C6 laminectomy with decompression evaluated at his home on 8/29/08. At that time a history was obtained from the patient as well as her husband and a physical examination was performed.

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Posted On: May 2, 2009

Sacramento-area Hospitals Sued for Malpractice, Part 1 of 5

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

RE: Susan and Andy Bates

I. BRIEF SUMMARY OF CLAIMS
Ms. Bates’ claims involve two distinct separate injuries occurring at two different times. Her claims are brought under two separate legal theories and causes of action. Her first Cause of Action is for medical malpractice. Her Second Cause of Action is brought pursuant to The Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (EADACPA), found at Welfare and Institutions Code §15600 et seq. As a result, she is entitled to and seeks two different financial recoveries.

In addition, Andy Bates makes a claim under the Third Cause of Action for loss of consortium.

A. First Cause of Action: Medical Malpractice

Ms. Bates’ First Cause of Action focuses on the care and treatment she received during the period she was hospitalized at United Hospital in Carmichael from December 26, 2005 through January 13, 2006. As a result of that hospitalization, Ms. Bates now has the following injuries:

1. Paralysis,
2. Neurogenic bladder,
3. Neurogenic bowel,
4. Chronic neuropathic pain.

This claim is subject to MICRA.


B. Second Cause of Action: Dependent Adult/Elder Abuse

Ms. Bates’ Second Cause of Action is brought pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code §15600 et seq., the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (EADACPA). This claim focuses on United’s neglect of claimant, Susan Bates, after she was hospitalized for the above described paralysis and is distinct in time and injury from her paralysis claim. It occurred at ABC Hospital in Citrus Heights after January 13, 2007, and resulted in the following injuries:

1. Stage II sacral decubitus ulcer arising when Ms. Bates was an in-patient at United. This ulcer progressed as described in #2 below.

2. Stage IV sacral decubitus ulcer.

3. Placement of permanent colostomy bag required by the Stage IV sacral decubitus ulcer.

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Posted On: May 1, 2009

Sacramento-area Hospital Sued For Malpractice, Part 1 of 23.

I. BACKGROUND

(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)

WILLIAM SMITH cannot walk, run, stand, or drive. He does not have the use of his legs. He cannot use his left hand or arm. Two years ago, at the age of 62, Mr. SMITH was an active man. He loved to work in his yard and enjoyed traveling. Now he cannot do the things he loves. He is confined to a wheelchair. He has C5 incomplete quadriplegia. He has neurogenic bowels and bladder and must wear a Foley catheter twenty-four hours a day. He has to rely on someone else to help him cook his meals, cut his food, change his clothes, clean his back wound, and drive him to medical appointments and the store. He needs some one to be at home with him in case he falls because he cannot pick himself up. What happened to Mr. SMITH?

II. DEFENDANTS

There are currently four defendants in this case:

A. DR. X, M.D.:

Dr. X is a dermatologist practicing in Roseville. He treated Mr. Smith for many years. For two years preceeding March 23, 2002, he treated Mr. Smith for an open wound on his back that would become the focus of this litigation.

B. ABC HOSPITAL:

ABC HOSPITAL is a hospital operating in Roseville, California. Mr. Smith sought treatment on March 23, 2002, at ABC HOSPITAL for excruciating back pain secondary to the open back wound Dr. X had been treating. When Mr. Smith entered the hospital on March 23, 2002 he was ambulatory.

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