Alice Underwood, 82, underwent hip replacement surgery and rehabilitation. Six days after the surgery, she was admitted to Victor Valley Global Medical Center for treatment of a urinary tract infection and dehydration.
While she was hospitalized, she suffered a surgical site infection, which caused her incision to separate. She underwent surgery to remove necrotic tissue and then was sent to a rehabilitation facility.
Twenty-six days later, Underwood died of cardiopulmonary arrest and infection. She was survived by her three adult daughters and a son.
Underwood’s daughter, individually and on behalf of the estate, sued the hospital claiming that it chose not to provide wound care to Underwood for more than twelve days during her hospitalization and decided not to assess her surgical wound. The Underwood family also alleged that the hospital’s nurse negligently sent Underwood to the rehabilitation facility without antibiotics for what was known to be a dangerous infection.
After the jury trial, the jury signed a verdict for $1.3 million in favor of the Underwood family for the wrongful death.
The Underwood family presented experts at trial in nursing and infectious disease, while the defendants presented experts in infectious disease, nursing, wound analysis and plastic surgery.
The attorneys successfully handling this tragic case for the Underwood family were Alexander Feldman, Michael Moran and Damon Schwartz.
Underwood v. Victor Valley Global Medical Center, No. 30-2016-00837684 (Cal. Super. Ct. Orange County).
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling wrongful death lawsuits, medical malpractice cases, sepsis and infectious disease cases, hospital negligence lawsuits and birth trauma 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 Franklin Park, River Forest, Oak Park, Melrose Park, Berwyn, Cicero, Bedford Park, Oak Lawn, Willowbrook, Westmont, Elmhurst, Mount Prospect, Northfield, Evanston, Chicago (West Loop, River North, Lower West Side, Little Village, North Lawndale, Humboldt Park, Pilsen, Hermosa, Lakeview, Wrigleyville, Uptown, Edgewater, Ukrainian Village, Lincoln Square, Near South Side, Greater Grand Crossing, Hyde Park, South Shore, Chatham, West Englewood), Stickney, Maywood, Schiller Park, Schaumburg and Norridge, Ill.
Robert D. Kreisman has been an active member of the Illinois and Missouri bars since 1976.
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$1.39 Million Jury Verdict for Negligence in Choosing Not to Assess Patient’s Surgical Incision