Sacramento Medical Malpractice Lawyer Blog

It is worth noting that situations similar to those described in this medical malpractice case could just as easily occur at any of the healthcare facilities in the area, such as Kaiser Permanente, UC Davis Medical Center, Mercy, Methodist, or Sutter.

(Please also note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this personal injury lawsuit and its proceedings.)

INJURIES: Stevenson alleged anoxic brain injury resulting in some worsening of pre-existing memory and cognitive problems, including “flooding syndrome” or being overwhelmed and frustrated after becoming engaged in discussions or activities. She was in a rehab facility for a couple months and fell once or twice while there.

Facts:
On March 10, 2005, plaintiff Marla Stevenson, 56, a former licensed vocational nurse, was admitted to Sacramento Medical Center for repair of a broken Parkla. She was already being treated with methadone, 720 milligrams a day, for chronic pain related to spinal stenosis. After the knee surgery, she was moved to the regular floor. About 3.5 hours later, she experienced cardiopulmonary arrest of unknown length and cause. She was revived, but had an anoxic brain injury.

Stevenson sued the medical center; its owner; and her doctor, family practitioner Anthony Kerry, for medical malpractice. Kerry settled before trial for an undisclosed amount.

Stevenson charged that the medical center defendants should have had her on electronic monitoring, given the amount of pain medication she was on and given that, in the recovery room, heart arrhythmias were recorded. Also, the surgeon ordered post-recovery oxygen, and he and the ER doctor ordered a preoperative EKG, but neither order was followed.

Stevenson also claimed that the recovery room staff failed to pass information to the floor nurses.

The medical center defendants contended that monitoring is a physician's decision and could have been ordered by a physician, that the arrhythmias were benign bigeminy, that a recorded ventricular fibrillation was misread by the monitor equipment, and that each arrhythmia was reported to Stevenson's physicians.

For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.

Continue reading " Sacramento Medical Malpractice Suit Brought After Woman Claims Failure To Monitor " »

The following blog entry is written to illustrate an example of a medical malpractice case. Reviewing this kind of lawsuit should help potential plaintiffs and clients better understand how parties in personal injury cases present such issues to the court. It is worth noting that situations similar to those described in this medical malpractice case could just as easily occur at any of the healthcare facilities in the area, such as Kaiser Permanente, UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco General, California Pacific Medical Center, or St. Francis Memorial Hospital.

(Please also note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this personal injury case and its proceedings.)

INJURIES: Jermaine claimed he sustained radial nerve damage in his dominant, left arm, as a result of the surgery performed by Euick. He claimed he suffers intractable neuropathic pain, as well as motor loss, in the arm. Jermaine has been on constant pain medication since the surgery.

Facts:
On July 21, 2006, plaintiff John Jermaine, 42, a heavy-equipment operator, underwent surgery to have what was diagnosed as a benign mass removed from his upper left arm. The surgery was performed by Dr. Jeffery Euick, who Jermaine was referred to by his general practitioner, and took place at San Francisco Hospital in San Francisco.

After surgery, Jermaine claimed he experienced muscle weakness and severe nerve pain. The mass was later diagnosed as a leiomyosarcoma, or a cancerous tumor. Jermaine underwent a subsequent surgery at UCLA Medical Center to excise further along the margins of the removed tumor.

Jermaine sued Euick and his employer alleging medical malpractice. He accused Euick of negligent treatment and claimed he failed to properly test and diagnose his cancerous tumor. He alleged his employer was vicariously liable for Euick's actions.

Jermaine claimed Euick was negligent for failing to order and obtain a pre-operative MRI for surgical planning and for proceeding with a surgery that was more difficult than expected. He alleged Euick failed to diagnose the tumor as malignant, and should have performed a more timely biopsy, before the surgery. Jermaine further claimed that Euick was in way over his head, and that he should have been referred to an oncologic surgeon at a specialty hospital or tertiary center.

For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.

Continue reading " Man Alleges Negligent Treatment At San Francisco Hospital Caused Arm Nerve Damage " »

It is worth noting that situations similar to those described in this medical malpractice case could just as easily occur at any of the healthcare facilities in the San Jose area, such as Kaiser Permanente, Regional Medical Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, or O’Connor Hospital.

(Please also note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this personal injury lawsuit and its proceedings.)

William claimed that the hospital's optometry department first diagnosed him as a “glaucoma suspect” in August 2004, but he received no treatment for onset glaucoma during the next four and a half years, despite subsequent visits and assessments that he was at risk for the disease. William subsequently became legally blind. He contended that the hospital should have treated him accordingly.

William further contended that the hospital's optometrists had not followed an internal policy that required all patients with glaucoma to have their treatment overseen and reviewed by an ophthalmologist and that the optometrists should have also consulted with an ophthalmologist for his care.

The defense argued that William's private internist should have been aware of his eye condition and need for treatment, and should have referred him for such treatment. The defendant also denied that William's early symptoms were in fact indicative of glaucoma, and contended that he received proper VA medical care for treatment of his eyes.

Plaintiff's counsel noted that the defendant served subpoenas upon every one of William's private health care providers for purposes of filing potential third party complaints, but records disclosed no outside visits to any private optometrists or ophthalmologists, as William's eye care was provided exclusively at the Palo Alto VA.
William also claimed he suffered anxiety and depression, though he still has some quality of life.

For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.

Continue reading " Veteran Loses 90% of Eyesight In San Jose Hospital Study, Part 2 of 2 " »

It is worth noting that situations similar to those described in this medical malpractice case could just as easily occur at any of the healthcare facilities in the area, such as Kaiser Permanente, UC Davis Medical Center, Mercy, Methodist, or Sutter.

(Please also note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this personal injury lawsuit and its proceedings.)

INJURIES: Melon had multiple lengthy admissions to the UC Davis Medical Center. She was treated for sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, malnutrition, a duodenal fistula and an enterocutaneous fistula. During one admission, she was treated with pressors to maintain her blood pressure and this treatment caused an amputation of the toes on her left foot and a partial amputation of the right foot. The enterocutaneous fistula healed and the duodenal was closed during a procedure in October 2007. Melon remained severely de-conditioned and she developed contractures of the AcHaimes tendons.

Facts:
On Aug. 23, 2005, plaintiff Karen Melon, 26, unemployed, underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed by general surgeon Jeffrey R. Jemming. The following day, Melon had signs of sepsis and evidence of a bile leak. General surgeon Jerry Aaron, who was Jemming's partner, performed an exploratory laparotomy. He found and repaired a perforation on the anterior aspect of the first part of the duodenum.

Melon's condition initially improved, but then worsened on Aug. 29. There was increasing drainage from a drain Aaron had placed. On Sept. 1, Jemming performed an exploratory laparotomy with Aaron assisting. Jemming performed a Kocher maneuver and found a perforation on the posterior aspect of the second part of the duodenum. He resected a portion of the duodenum and performed a primary anastomosis.

Melon's post-operative course was complicated by sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome and adult respiratory distress syndrome. She was intubated and put on a ventilator. On Sept. 18, she was transferred to the UC Davis Medical Center.

For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.

Continue reading " Sacramento Woman Claims Medical Malpractice After Surgical Complications " »

The following blog entry is written to illustrate an example of a medical malpractice case. Reviewing this kind of lawsuit should help potential plaintiffs and clients better understand how parties in personal injury cases present such issues to the court. It is worth noting that situations similar to those described in this medical malpractice case could just as easily occur at any of the healthcare facilities in the area, such as Kaiser Permanente, UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco General, California Pacific Medical Center, or St. Francis Memorial Hospital.

(Please also note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this personal injury case and its proceedings.)

INJURIES: Clemmens sustained traumatic encephalopathy and required eight months of hospitalization. He now has significant cognitive deficits and general difficulty performing the tasks of every day life. He is unable to return to work.

Facts:
On Sept. 26, 2007, plaintiff Nathan Clemmens, 53, a sales manager for Oasis, fainted while at San Francisco International Airport, hitting his head on the floor and becoming dazed. He was rushed via ambulance to San Francisco General Hospital, where a CT scan revealed a small subarachnoid hemorrhage and an EKG revealed a heart attack. A subsequent angiography showed an occluded right coronary artery.

The plaintiff was hemodynamically stable, but cardiologists at the hospital decided to perform angioplasty and place a stent. Following the administration of anticoagulant agents, Clemmens developed massive bleeding in the brain in the form of bilateral frontal intraparenchymal hemorrhages. He survived, but sustained permanent brain damage.

Via his wife, Clemmens sued the hospital's operator, The Regents of the University of California, for medical malpractice. Clemmens's counsel claimed that given knowledge of the plaintiff's head injury, the stenting procedure was contraindicated and an unacceptable risk. The lawyer claimed that the danger from the plaintiff's clogged coronary artery was not life threatening.

For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.

Continue reading " San Francisco Hospital Performs Negligent Treatment Causing Permanent Brain Damage " »