$850,000 Jury Verdict for Injured Patient Who Was Refused an Escort After Discharge

Sarita Kellman, 70, underwent treatment for a fractured left ankle. After the ankle was repaired at Bellevue Hospital Center, a nurse offered her the use of crutches. However, she requested an escort, telling the nurse that she was feeling lightheaded and that she could not use the crutches safely. The nurse refused Kellman’s request for an escort as she was being discharged from the hospital.

Kellman took a taxi home. While getting out of the cab, she fell, fracturing her right wrist and left ankle. This was the same ankle that had been fractured earlier. Kellman was taken back to the hospital where she underwent wrist surgery followed by a second ankle surgery and rehabilitation.

Kellman now suffers pain in her right wrist and restricted range of motion. She sued the hospital’s operator, alleging that the nurse was negligent in choosing not to provide her with an escort along with crutches.

After a jury trial, the verdict was $850,000 in favor of Kellman.

The attorney successfully handling this case was Brad A. Kauffman.

Kellman v. New York City & Hospitals Corp., No. 805276/15 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. New York County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been successfully handling hospital negligence lawsuits, medical malpractice cases, birth trauma injury cases and nursing negligence lawsuits for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed or killed by the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 40 years, in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Villa Park, Long Grove, Flossmoor, Orland Park, Naperville, Tinley Park, Antioch, Joliet, Waukegan, Lake Zurich, Zion, Morton Grove, Niles, Des Plaines, Lansing, Chicago (Chinatown, Canaryville, Calumet Heights, Bucktown, East Rogers Park, Ukrainian Village, Hyde Park, Irving Park, Jefferson Park, Kenwood, Kilbourn Park, Lakeview, East Lawndale, Lincoln Park, Little Village), New Lenox, Palatine and Palos Heights, Ill.