Patient Sues San Francisco Physician For Medical Malpractice, Part 2 of 4

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.)

Between August 9 and August 21, 2007, uncertain whether the suspension precluded him from communicating with patients, defendant had several telephone calls with plaintiff. Defendant intended to see and treat plaintiff after his suspension was lifted. However, as it turned out, defendant never saw plaintiff in person after August 8, 2007. Ultimately, defendant resigned his position with his employer.

On August 16, 2007, plaintiff saw Dr. Natalie Salman, M.D. for her post-operative complaints of pain and numbness. Dr. Salman examined plaintiff and found her to have 5/5 strength and normal reflexes in both lower extremities. Dr. Salman found no objective neurological signs that suggested that plaintiff had an emergent neurological condition. The only significant positive findings were decreased sensation on the left side of plaintiff’s back at T3-T5 and patchy loss of sensation in the left leg. Plaintiff only complained of pain at the surgical site. Dr. Salman ordered an MRI of plaintiff’s spine and called Dr. Melon to discuss what was done during surgery. Dr. Melon informed her that he would follow up with the patient and the results of the MRI.

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

On August 22, 2007, plaintiff and her husband, plaintiff Calvin Clementine, went to see Dr. Derek Michaels at a local hospital. Plaintiff’s neurologic complaints included pain, mild weakness in her left leg, and a decrease in proprioception (awareness of the position the leg was in space). Plaintiff had strength in her left leg but did not know where her leg was without looking. Plaintiff was in a wheelchair but could not stand up. Dr. Michaels concluded that plaintiff’s claimed inability to walk was due to loss of proprioception rather than loss of strength. Dr. Michaels recommended re-exploration of the syrinx.

On August 26, 2007, Dr. Michaels performed a second shunt placement surgery. The positioning of the original shunt did not allow the syrinx to drain, and bruising was noted on part of the cord. Dr. Michaels removed the shunt placed by Dr. Melon and placed a new shunt into the syrinx cavity. As when Dr. Melon placed the first shunt, a few drops of CSF fluid were visualized from the shunt.

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

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