$4.08 Million Jury Verdict and Settlement in Negligent and Unnecessary Cardiac Surgery

Gerald Sanford, 72, suffered from mitral valve disease. When he experienced heart palpitations, he consulted with an interventional radiologist, Dr. Amarnath Vedere. The doctor did an angiogram to examine the workings of his patient’s blood vessels; during the examination, he used an x-ray and dye.

The results of the angiogram showed a calcified lesion in the mid-segment of Sanford’s left anterior descending artery. This artery is known to be one of the most likely to be occluded. Dr. Vedere scheduled Sanford for percutaneous coronary intervention, a catheterization with a plaque-removing procedure and stent replacement.

During this procedure, Dr. Vedere attempted fourteen times to insert a guiding catheter with a stent. Sanford suffered respiratory arrest, which led to his death just a few weeks later. He was survived by his wife and teenage daughter.

His wife, on behalf of his estate, sued the hospital where the catheterization was performed, alleging negligent credentialing and retention of Dr. Vedere.

The Sanford family also sued Dr. Vedere, alleging negligent performance of the angiogram in that he chose not to use enough dye during the procedure, which prevented him from fully appreciating the extent of Sanford’s mitral valve disease or identifying Sanford’s dual ostia, an anatomical anomaly that made the catheterization more complicated.

The Sanford family also maintained that the angiogram and catheterization had been unnecessary and that Sanford should have been treated with medicine that was less invasive. Finally, the Sanford family claimed that the doctor’s fourteen attempted insertions of the guiding catheter cut off Sanford’s blood flow, which led to his respiratory arrest.

Before trial, the hospital settled for an undisclosed sum. There was a jury trial that signed a verdict for approximately $4.08 million.

At trial, the Sanford family attorneys presented an expert in cardiology while the defendants presented a cardiology expert as well.

The attorneys successfully handling this tragic case for the Sanford family were Michael B. Baxter and William D. Zoller.

Sanford v. Vedere, No. 50-2016-CA-011254-XXXX-MB (Fla. Cir. Ct. Palm Beach County, Feb. 3, 2020).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling hospital negligence lawsuits, interventional cardiology error lawsuits, physician malpractice cases, and wrongful death lawsuits for individuals, families and loved ones who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Schiller Park, Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, Orland Park, Palos Park, Grayslake, Mundelein, Midlothian, South Holland, Chicago (Logan Square, Ukrainian Village, Bronzeville, Wrigleyville, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Woodlawn, Austin, North Lawndale, East Garfield Park, Lincoln Square, Beverly), Lincolnshire, Lincolnwood, Long Grove, Lansing and Willow Springs, Ill.

Robert D. Kreisman has been an active member of the Illinois and Missouri bars since 1976.