Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
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.)
At the February 16 appointment, plaintiff’s foot was unwrapped and was found to be infected and necrotic. Plaintiff went immediately to Clovis Community Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a Staph infection and placed on IV antibiotics. He remained at Clovis for one day before being transferred to the Fresno Heart and Surgical Hospital.
When he arrived at Fresno Heart, he came under the care of vascular surgeon Amy Parish, M.D. Dr. Parish immediately realized plaintiff was septic and that his infected left lower limb would have to be amputated. She explained to plaintiffs that plaintiff would die of sepsis within a few days if the foot/leg were not amputated, and they consented to the surgery, which took place that same night, February 17, 2008.
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.
Plaintiff remained in the hospital for roughly two weeks and underwent two additional surgical procedures, including a final, formal amputation of his leg just below the knee. He was then discharged to San Francisco Rehabilitation Hospital for in-patient care for approximately two weeks, followed by several months of out-patient rehabilitation. He was fitted with a prosthetic leg, which required multiple re-fittings, with further re-fittings to come.
Defendant never followed up on plaintiff’s care, never communicated with the hospital to learn of his status, never called to check on him, and only learned that his leg had been amputated when she received a copy of Dr. Parish’s Operative Report.
Plaintiffs alleged that defendant violated the applicable standard of care in several respects, leading directly to the loss of plaintiff’s left leg.
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.