Rhode Island Jury Awards $5.8 Million in Medical Malpractice Case

Dan Frith

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The patient twisted and broke his left ankle. He also suffered from diabetes and poor circulation and he developed blisters as his ankle swelled. He was seen by a surgeon at the local hospital and, due to the blisters, the surgeon postponed the repair procedure for one week to allow time for the blisters to heal. However, a week later the doctor neglected to inspect the ankle before his patient was placed under anesthesia in the operating room, and when he did examine the ankle, the doctor saw that the blisters were worse than before.

Unfortunately, the surgeon went ahead and performed the surgery rather than postponing the surgery and advising his patient of the risks involved, or calling in infectious disease and vascular doctors. The blisters continued to worsen after the surgery and a large amount of drainage came from the ankle. Eventually, the patient went to another surgeon who discovered his left foot had become gangrenous, and he ended up losing his left leg below the knee! On November 29, 2007, the jury awarded the patient $5.8 million in damages after a 5 ½ week trial.

This report details the complications which can occur in patients with diabetes and other circulatory problems. If you have a medical history of diabetes or circulation problems, make sure you discuss these issues with your doctor...especially your surgeon.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.