Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings.)
III. INJURIES
After the incident, plaintiff had immediate onset of right side pain. The morning after her return from the trip, she saw Gary Bell, D.C. for her right side pain. Dr. Bell took x-rays on May 13, 2006. The film revealed two rib fractures. The doctor sent NANCY home to recover.
While shopping on May 27, NANCY became very weak. She was taken home where she collapsed. Her husband immediately drove her to her doctor’s office where she saw Jerry Boeye, M.D. The doctor suspected a possible right side hemathorax. NANCY was rushed by ambulance to Auburn Roseville Medical Center.
Upon arrival at Auburn Roseville Medical Center, NANCY was admitted to the trauma-neuro ICU. During her inpatient stay at Auburn, NANCY underwent a medical ordeal. She had numerous operative procedures. The operative procedures included the following:
5/30/06 Exhibit 3 Thoracoscopy and evacuation of retained hemothorax, left.
6/4/06 Exhibit 4 (1) Video-assisted thoracoscopy with biopsy. CPT Code
32601. (2) Bronchoscopy with therapeutic aspiration.
CPT Code 31645. (3) Thoracotomy with biopsy. CPT
Code 32100. (4) Removal of intra-pleural foreign body.
CPT Code 32150. (5) Partial lung decortications. CPT
Code 32225.
6/4/06 Exhibit 5 Fiberoptic bronchoscopy with therapeutic aspiration.
6/5/06 Exhibit 6 Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with jejunostomy tube.
6/5/06 Exhibit 7 Fiberoptic bronchoscopy with therapeutic aspiration and
bronchial washings.
6/7/06 Exhibit 8 Fiberoptic bronchoscopy with therapeutic aspiration and
bronchioalveolar lavage.
6/9/06 Exhibit 9 Cardioversion.
6/10/06 Exhibit 10 Opening of surgical wound, drainage of pus, debridement
of edges.
6/10/06 Exhibit 11 Tracheostomy using #7 Bivona.
6/10/06 Exhibit 12 Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with J-tube.
A photograph of NANCY in the hospital is on the front of volume one of this mediation binder. After 26 days in the hospital, NANCY was finally discharged home on June 22, 2006. During the hospitalization she suffered a number of life threatening problems involving her lungs, heart, and kidneys, all secondary to the injury on the bus.
Following his discharge, NANCY continued to follow-up with her doctors as instructed. She required a catheter for approximately 45 days after she was home.
IV. FUTURE MEDICAL
As a result of his long hospitalization, NANCY is still treating with a pulmonologist, cardiologist, and nephrologist. NANCY sees each provider every six months. Plaintiff estimates each visit to be at least $200.00. She is also taking several medications daily. Universal Drug Pharmacy in Roseville, California, verbally quoted the retail cost of NANCY’S medications for a one month supply:
ProAir $ 41.05
Advair $ 301.95
Spiriva $ 178.05
Finasteride $ 93.66
Flomax $ 287.00
Total Monthly Medication Total $ 614.71
Currently, NANCY is 61 years old. According to the CACI jury instructions, Table A, Life Expectancy Table-female, NANCY has an additional life expectancy of 23.1 years. For the purposes of this mediation, plaintiff conservatively estimates costs for her medication and doctor visits for the remainder of her life to be:
Medications: $614.71 per month x 12 months x 23.1 years $ 170,396.76
Office visits: $200.00 x 6 times per year x 23.1 years $ 27,720.00
Total Conservative Future Medical $ 198,116.76 (See Part 3 of 6.)
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.