9 Years After Serious Leg Injury, N.Y. Man Receives $9.1 Million Medical Malpractice Verdict
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on February 21st, 2014
While heading to his job as a public safety dispatcher in Tonawanda, N.Y., in October 2004, Donald R. Schultz fell on some steps as he made his way to his workplace, breaking one of his ankles. The injury was followed by multiple complications and 12 surgeries, which eventually resulted in the amputation of his leg over several procedures.
After filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in connection with his care, Schultz has now been ordered to receive a $9.1 million award by a New York Supreme Court jury to compensate him for the loss of his leg and for resulting pain and suffering, according to a Feb. 17 story in The Buffalo (N.Y.) News.
The jury awarded Schultz, who is now 45 years old, $2 million for past pain and suffering, $4 million for future pain and suffering and $2.8 million for past and future medical expenses and loss of wages, according to the story. His ex-wife was also awarded $350,000 for loss of services, according to the report.
Following his fall and initial injury back in October 2004, Schultz was treated by a doctor at an orthopedics practice, which was not found at fault by the jury, the paper reported. Later, Schultz felt pain on the side of his foot near his little toe.
Schultz then went to see another surgeon, Dr. Michael A. Parentis, who treated Schultz from 2005 to 2009 at the Knee Center of Western New York. Parentis began performing surgeries on Schultz’s little toe to try to resolve the pain, but eventually the doctor amputated the toe, the story reported.
“Schultz developed an infection after the amputation” and then later amputated the adjoining fourth toe, but the pain continued for the patient, the story reported. “In July 2009, Parentis amputated the leg below the knee.”
Later, Schultz developed another infection which required the amputation of the remaining leg above the knee, which was performed by a different doctor, according to the story.
After undergoing 12 surgeries by Parentis and another doctor at Knee Center of WNY, Schultz filed his medical malpractice lawsuit. He was able to work until the 2009 amputations, but has since been disabled, the story reported.
Schultz’s original injury from the fall on the steps was devastating enough for him and his family, but then it was worsened by medical care that resulted in further injuries and additional surgeries. This case reaffirms the need for patients and their families to be ever vigilant about the medical care they receive so they know what is being done for a patient’s care every step of the way. But at the same time, patients and families aren’t doctors and they can’t know every question to ask.
That’s where skilled, expert, compassionate and thorough legal representation is needed by patients and their families who have been harmed by malpractice or errors or omissions during their medical care and treatment. These kinds of cases happen on a regular basis, but they can be fought by legal teams that are prepared to battle for their clients’ rights all along the way to a fair settlement or to a just verdict.
We here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in a medical malpractice or related case anywhere in the United States. We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.
Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.
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