$4.7 Million Jury Verdict for Negligence in Choosing Not to Detect Misplaced Catheter

Connie Lockhart was hospitalized after overdosing on medication. She was 58 years old at the time of this incident. An emergency room physician inserted a central line femoral catheter in her right leg. However, this was misplaced into her femoral artery instead of her femoral vein.

Lockhart was transferred to the facility’s ICU where she received care from critical care pulmonologist Dr. Sachin Lavania.

Nurses informed Dr. Lavania that Lockhart’s leg had become cold, mottled, and pulseless.

After another nurse confirmed that the catheter had been placed in Lockhart’s artery, Dr. Lavania terminated the infusion of vasoactive medications from the central line femoral catheter to her leg. Lockhart developed gangrene necessitating a below-the-knee amputation of her right leg.

She sued Dr. Lavania and Cherokee Lung & Sleep Specialists, P.C., among others, alleging Dr. Lavania elected not to timely detect the misplaced catheter, negligently waited seven hours to see Lockhart and chose not to timely terminate the infusion vasoactive medications. The lawsuit did not allege any lost income.

The jury’s verdict of $4.7 million apportioned liability at 27% to Dr. Lavania and Cherokee Lung & Sleep Specialists, 3% to Lockhart and 70% collectively to non-party defendants. Lockhart’s attorneys have reportedly appealed the verdict in favor of the emergency room physician after determining that plaintiff’s experts, a physician who works in a critical care setting, could not provide testimony against an emergency physician.

The attorneys representing Lockhart were Lloyd Bell and Darren Summerville.

Lockhart v. Bloom, No. 16 EV 003451 (Ga. St. Ct. Fulton County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling medical negligence lawsuits, wrongful death cases, hospital negligence lawsuits, birth trauma injury cases and traumatic brain injury cases 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 Niles, Lincolnwood, Elk Grove Village, Northlake, Cicero, Waukegan, Joliet, Naperville, Burr Ridge, Countryside, Bedford Park, Evergreen Park, South Holland, Blue Island, Calumet City, Lansing, Lynwood, Sauk Village, Chicago Heights, Willowbrook, University Park, Park Forest, Tinley Park, Homer Glen, Orland Park, Chicago (Roseland, South Chicago, Kenwood, Fuller Park, Archer Heights, Little Italy, Little Village, Greek Town, Chinatown, Bucktown, Logan Square, Wicker Park, Belmont Cragin, Uptown, North Park, Jefferson Park), Harwood Heights, Des Plaines, Rolling Meadows, Hoffman Estates, Buffalo Grove, Lincolnshire, Hawthorne Woods, Mundelein and Vernon Hills, Ill.

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