Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
C. Third Cause of Action: Loss of Consortium
Andy Bates, husband of Susan Bates, makes a claim for loss of consortium following his wife’s total incapacity.
II. DAMAGES
A. Alex Barchuk, M.D.
In order to assess Ms. Bates’ need for ongoing medical and attendant care under both her First and Second Causes of Action, that is, for both (1) her paralysis/neurogenic bowel and bladder and (2) her stage IV sacral decubitis ulcer/colostomy bag, claimant was assessed at her
residence by Alex Barchuk, M.D., on August 29, 2007.
Dr. Barchuk is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is the Director of the Spinal Cord and Trauma Rehabilitation Program, Kentfield Rehabilitation Specialty Hospital, Kentfield, California.
Dr. Barchuk prepared a report and a DVD setting forth his findings and conclusions. Dr. Barchuk’s DVD is available for review. (The DVD contains a PowerPoint presentation that also includes a number of video clips of interviews with Mr. and Ms. Bates. Once loaded in the computer the presentation can be initiated by using your computer mouse in one of two ways. You can either scroll down to each subsequent page and then use the left click to initiate the video – – by left clicking on the video itself – – on that page, or you can left click on each image or page to advance to the next set of images or video.) Dr. Barchuk’s report and Life Care Plan Worksheet are referenced herein.
Dr. Barchuk states the following in his report beginning at page 18:
The patient is a 45-year-old married woman with history of acute cervical myelopathy status post C4 to C6 laminectomy with decompression evaluated at his home on 8/29/08. At that time a history was obtained from the patient as well as her husband and a physical examination was performed.
In view of the above mentioned medical problems the patient will require close medical follow-up including specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain management, urology, neurosurgery, internal medicine, orthopedics, plastic surgery, gastroenterology, dermatology, psychology/ psychiatry, podiatry, dietary services, cardiology, pulmonary medicine as well as infectious disease.
The patient will also require future physical therapy as well as occupational therapy to maintain his mobility range of motion as well as strength, and address overuse injuries particularly to his upper extremities.
She will require Emergency Room visits as well as rehospitalizations probably secondary to skin breakdown, pain issues, infectious disease issues such as recurrent bladder infections, skin infections, etc.
The patient will require medical tests such as CBC, CMP, sedimentation rates to follow his osteomyelities treatment, along with urine culture and sensitivities, x-rays, MRI scans, as well as Doppler imaging studies.
The patient will require close urological follow-up in the form of urodynamic testing, voiding cystourethrogram as well as renal scans to monitor her renal status.
It is anticipated that in view of the patient’s history of sacral decubitus she will require at least one surgical intervention for skin breakdown in the future by plastic surgery.
The patient will continue to require an electric wheelchair, a manual wheelchair as well as air overlay mattress. She needs a standing frame and should stand at least three times per week with supervision to prevent further contractures as well as osteoporosis. (See Part 3 of 5.)
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.