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Medical Malpractice Victim Awarded $12 Million in Chattanooga
Posted on May 18, 2009
A Hamilton County jury awarded $12 million in damages suffered by a young woman due to the medical malpractice of a local physician. The judgment against a prominent Chattanooga doctor, stemmed from a procedure intended to diagnose bowel problems which left a young woman so brain damaged she can no longer care for herself.
Timesfreepress.com reports that the victim of this medical negligence, 33-year-old Kristen Freeman had been having bowel trouble for years. Ms. Freeman, who worked as an interior designer, scheduled an appointment with Dr. Michael Goodman, a gastroenterologist with a private practice in the Medical Mall at Erlanger Hospital. On April 27, 2006, Ms. Freeman went in to have a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy. These procedures were to be used to diagnose any possible disease of the small intestine or colon.
It was later found that the endoscopy caused a tear in the area of her small intestine just below her stomach.
By 5 p.m. the same day as the procedures, Ms. Freeman was experiencing extreme pain and constantly vomiting. She called Dr. Goodman's office but was only given a prescription for anti-nausea medication.
The next morning Ms. Freeman called Dr. Goodman's office to complain again of her symptoms of terrible abdominal pain and constant throwing up. She was recommended to go to Erlanger Emergency room to have X-rays performed. By the time she reached Erlanger on April 28, 2006, Ms. Freeman was so weak that she was required to use a wheelchair upon being admitted.
It was the position of Ms. Freeman's attorneys that Dr. Goodman should have known by the patient complaining of vomiting and pain that the condition required immediate attention. These symptoms are very indicative of the most dangerous complication of a perforated intestine from the colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures.
Dr. Goodman contended that Ms. Freeman should have known on her own to go to the emergency room. The lawyers for the gastroenterologist argued the when she started vomiting and experiencing pain almost immediately after having a colonoscopy and endoscopy done she should have known to go to the E.R. Ms. Freeman had no prior medical training. Dr. Goodman himself never told Ms. Freeman to go to the emergency room. All communications with his patient after the procedures were through his office staff.
As a result of the complications of the endoscopy and colonoscopy, Ms. Freeman suffered cardiopulmonary arrest and severe brain damage. This condition resulted in her permanent and total disability, according to court documents. Read the article here...
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