Donne Licudine, 20, was diagnosed with cholecystitis, the inflammation of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is the small organ near the liver that plays a part in the digestion of food. When the condition is acute, the patient experiences upper abdominal pain and there is usually an obstruction of the cystic duct.
Because of her medical condition, a general surgeon, Dr. Brendan Carroll, and a resident, Dr. Ankur Gupta, did a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which is the surgical procedure that removes the gallbladder. During that surgery, it was first discovered that Licudine had suffered a vascular injury. The doctors converted to an open procedure, which revealed a torn iliac vein. As a result, Licudine required three surgeries to repair her vascular injuries.
Licudine was a college rower. She was obviously a very active athlete. She now suffers from bowel adhesions, a six-inch scar from her abdomen to her sternum and severe depression as a result of her injuries. Licudine had planned to attend law school but has canceled those plans due to her medical condition.
Licudine filed a lawsuit against the hospital claiming that it was liable for the physicians’ negligent performance of the laparoscopy. The jury entered a verdict in favor of Licudine in the amount of $1,050,000.
The attorney representing Licudine was Howard A. Kapp. At trial, the plaintiff’s expert medical witnesses were in internal medicine and general surgery. The defendants’ experts were in the area of rehabilitation and general surgery.
Licudine v. Cedar Sinai Medical Center, No. BC 499 153 (Cal. Super. Ct. Los Angeles County, June 2, 2015).
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling medical negligence cases, surgical negligence cases and hospital negligence cases for individuals and families who have been injured or killed by the negligence of a medical provider for more than 38 years, in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas including, Chicago (Albany Park, Andersonville, Lakeview, Lakewood, Balmoral, Hyde Park, Gold Coast, Greek Town, Hegewisch, Edgebrook, Edison Park, Garfield Park), Joliet, Aurora, St. Charles, Cicero, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Schiller Park, St. Charles, Round Lake Beach and Palatine, Ill.
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