Sacramento Woman Left Disabled After Medical Malpractice, Part 1 of 4

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

PLAINTIFF’S TRIAL BRIEF
NATURE OF ACTION

This is a medical malpractice against Stan Smith, M.D., and his employer, the Universal Hospital. Plaintiff, Joan Green, alleges that negligent informed consent led her to undergo a back surgery in July 2002, and that complications therefrom left plaintiff completely disabled.

PARTIES AND COUNSEL

Plaintiff, Joan Green, is a 65-year-old resident of Sacramento, who suffered a right leg amputation following an accident in 1986. Plaintiff, Bobby Green, is her husband, who is seeking loss of consortium damages. They are represented by Tim Brown, Attorney at Law.

Defendant, XYZ Corp. operates the Universal Hospital (UH). Defendant, Stan Smith, M.D., is employed as a physician and professor by the UH Medical Center. Defendants are represented by David Brown, Attorney at Law.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Joan Green is a married Caucasian woman who was born on XX/XX/1944. Her health was good until 1986 when she was in a pedestrian versus truck accident that almost killed her. She suffered a right leg above the knee amputation, a degloving of her right arm, and other injuries. Her left leg was broken, but healed. After recovering, she was able to drive and do many household activities using her left leg. She used her wheelchair much of the time, but in 2002, she was finally fitted with a usable prostheses. However, she did have significant low back pain, diabetes, Krohns disease, and had been a smoker for 30 years until 2001. Her physician in Sacramento suggested a consult with an orthopedic surgeon at UH. An appointment was made with Stan Smith, MD.

Surgery was done on July 22, 2002. A vascular problem arose that could not be corrected. Ms. Green then developed a serious infection, which required several surgeries. She was hospitalized until October and was readmitted for other surgeries. After the final surgery in January 2003, she was left with a non-functioning left leg and UH had exhausted the $500,000.00 per condition limit concerning treatment for her back and complications. Ms. Green is profoundly disabled and cannot drive or do anything without assistance. (See Part 2 of 4.)

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