A jury in Crawford County has awarded a former Pennsylvania logger and his family $2.2 million in their medical malpractice lawsuit against an area hospital.
The plaintiff, Robert Anthony, 50, and his wife and caretaker, Tina, allege that Titusville Area Hospital didn’t properly examine Robert Anthony after a 500-pound treetop slammed into Anthony’s back in the summer of 2012.
During his examination at the hospital, Anthony claimed he was in too much pain to lie down properly for a complete set of spinal X-rays and the incomplete set didn’t detect the spinal fracture that eventually would paralyze him.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs allege that Robert Anthony should have received a CT scan instead of X-rays. A surgeon who testified in the case said in the stand that Anthony would be walking today had the fracture been properly diagnosed.
Anthony was instead kept in the hospital for three days before going home in considerable pain. Anthony was later flown to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment. However, by that time Anthony had suffered paralysis from the chest down.
The Anthony’s were awarded by the jury $300,000 for Anthony’s past pain and suffering, $1.7 million for future pain and suffering, and $200,000 to his wife for her suffering.
The hospital was found to be liable in the case for the actions of Anthony’s attending physician, Dr. Thomas Chesar, and Dr. Arthur Lewis, who first treated in the hospital’s emergency room.
Anyone can have an off day or mistakes can be made, regardless of profession. Legal and medical professionals are no different than anyone else.
In the case of medical malpractice, however, most of the time when medical malpractice or medical negligence occurs, it can be due to a number of reasons. When it happens to you or to someone you love, that’s the time when you will want to have an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice. At such times, that’s when you need to call the law offices of Bottar Law, PLLC.
If you or a loved one believes they have suffered as a result of medical malpractice or medical negligence, contact the law offices of Bottar Law today. After a careful evaluation of your claim, and if we believe you have a case, we will begin the process of helping you and your loved ones begin to recover. Contact us today at our toll free number (888) 979-1689, or at (315) 313-6809, or you may reach us by email at info@bottarlaw.com.