Patient wins $1 million settlement after botched knee surgery

Just after graduating college, the plaintiff, a 22-year-old woman, underwent left knee surgery to repair an ACL tendon and have a meniscal tendon transplant due to wear and tear from years of playing basketball in her youth and during college.

This otherwise healthy and active young woman was shocked when she woke up from surgery to find that she had excruciating pain and numbness of her right leg and foot.  She consulted numerous specialists including neurologists and pain management physicians for this serious problem, which she never imagined could happen from surgery on her other leg.

After consulting with experts in the medical fields of orthopedic surgery and neurology, this firm brought a lawsuit against her surgeon and the hospital where she had the surgery performed. We were informed by the medical experts that the care and treatment was not rendered in accordance with good and accepted standards of medicine. The plaintiff’s post-surgical problems were caused by medical negligence as a result of the surgeon improperly positioning her right leg during surgery on her left knee.

Unbelievably, the medical records from the surgery documented that for almost 7 hours her right leg was “left to hang over the table.”   According to our medical experts, because the right leg was never repositioned or even checked on during this long surgery, the young woman suffered a permanent nerve injury.

Even after several years of physical therapy, the plaintiff continues treatment under a pain management specialist for her injuries and is dependent upon daily medications to alleviate the pain she endures.

The case settled for $1 million on the eve of trial.

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