$10.2 Million Verdict for Illinois Negligent Amputation

 Posted on November 19, 2024 in Medical Malpractice

A little over a year ago, an Illinois jury found in favor of a man whose right leg was negligently amputated at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights. The 49-year-old man was involved in a motor vehicle accident in 2017.

His doctor failed to perform normal tests, including a pre- and intra-operative angiogram. The doctor also failed to check for leg artery clots and failed to place an arterial shunt. All of these are things a similarly trained physician, given the same set of circumstances, would have done.

The doctor further failed to return the patient to the operating room when there was no pulse or sensation in the ICU, resulting in a lack of blood flow and the necessity of removing the leg above the knee.  Despite conflicting stories from the hospital and physician, the jury found clear medical malpractice occurred.

This medical malpractice left a relatively young man living with severe impairments for the remainder of his life. If you or a loved one have suffered the loss of a limb as a result of medical malpractice, speaking to an experienced Chicago, IL medical malpractice attorney from Winters Salzetta O'Brien & Richardson, LLC can make a difference in the outcome of your claim.

How Often Does Negligent Limb Amputation Occur?

The loss of a limb is devastating and can have a profound impact on the life of the amputee. About 2.1 million people in the U.S. are living with the loss of a limb, with an average of 500 new amputations performed daily.

Trauma and vascular diseases like diabetes are the primary causes of amputations. The lifetime healthcare costs for those who have lost a limb is $509,000 and up. The loss of a limb has an adverse impact on an individual’s ability to work and earn a living.

Research done at Johns Hopkins more than ten years ago found that leaving a foreign object inside a patient’s body during an operation occurred about 39 times per week, performing the wrong procedure on a patient occurred about 20 times a week, and operating on the wrong body part occurred about 20 times per week.

While this study is not new – and specific interventions have been implemented to reduce these occurrences – they do still happen. When a body part is unintentionally amputated or is negligently amputated, the person who loses a limb deserves compensation.  

When is an Amputation Considered Negligent?

Those who have undergone an amputation because of medical negligence are looking at a lifetime of medical expenses, emotional trauma, and physical difficulties. An amputation due to medical negligence can occur in the following situations:

• The wrong medication is prescribed, leading to an unintended amputation.
• A patient’s worsening symptoms are ignored by doctors, resulting in an amputation.
• A surgeon performs surgery on the wrong body part, resulting in amputation of the wrong limb.
• A doctor fails to recognize and treat post-op blood clots, resulting in an amputation.
• Surgical equipment is left inside a person’s body, resulting in an infection that requires an amputation.
• Misdiagnosis of a medical condition leads to infection spread and the necessity of amputation.

If a negligent amputation occurs, the person whose limb is amputated can file a medical malpractice claim to recover damages.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered for Damages Associated with a Negligent Amputation?

The victim of a negligent amputation may be entitled to the following damages:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost wages
•  Future lost wages
• Pain and suffering

Contact a Chicago, IL Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If you or a loved one are the victim of medical malpractice, speaking to an experienced Chicago, IL medical malpractice attorney from Winters Salzetta O'Brien & Richardson, LLC can be beneficial. Proving medical negligence can be difficult because doctors and medical facilities tend to "circle the wagons" and shield themselves from shouldering the blame. We have strong relationships and resources to help each of our medical malpractice clients receive the compensation they need and deserve. Contact Winters Salzetta O'Brien & Richardson, LLC at 312-236-6324 to schedule your free consultation.