SBH partner Jenny Blake and associate Suzana Broderick secured a decisive defense verdict in Cook County on behalf of their clients, an anesthesiologist and anesthesiology group.
The case involved a sixty-three-year-old man with suspected cervical radiculopathy who underwent three MRIs (cervical spine, wrist, and forearm) under general anesthesia due to claustrophobia. Plaintiff alleged the anesthesiologist failed to protect and/or prevent a right rotator cuff injury during or after the MRIs. He claimed the injury was caused by positioning for the MRIs and/or occurred during transfer of the patient from the MRI table onto the transport cart or gurney. As a result of the alleged negligence, Plaintiff claimed he suffered injuries to his right shoulder rotator cuff, including multiple traumatic tears of his rotator cuff and/or aggravation of his chronic rotator cuff tear, which required surgical repair 30 days after the MRIs. Defendants argued the Plaintiff’s shoulder injury pre-dated the MRIs, was not the result of anything that occurred during or after the MRIs, and was a progression of his chronic shoulder issues and not as a result of negligence. Plaintiff asked the jury to award $510,000. After less than ten minutes of deliberations, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Defendants. The case was tried in the Cook County Circuit Court before The Honorable John Ehrlich.
