Medical Malpractice Leads to Leg Amputation

 Posted on January 14, 2019 in Medical Malpractice

In 2012, 65-year-old Elgin, Illinois resident and Vietnam war veteran Bill Hein was admitted for what the doctors called a routine surgery to treat his prostate cancer. The surgery happened in June of 2012 at Sherman Hospital. The procedure itself went smoothly. Afterward, Mr. Hein began to experience pain his left leg, but when he complained about it to the nurses, they said it was “normal postoperative discomfort.” What followed was a series of avoidable, disastrous events that unfortunately resulted in the amputation of Hein's left leg above the knee. His pain persisted, but his doctor ordered the wrong type of test. The next day another doctor ordered another test, but failed to request the results in a timely manner. At no time was the appropriate type of doctor, a vascular surgeon, contacted. Had that happened, appropriate tests and measures (another surgery) may have been taken, and Hein's leg could have been saved. Sadly, those steps were not taken. Eventually another surgery was ordered, and Hein was subjected to nearly two weeks of attempts, but his leg was dying. At the end of the nearly two grueling weeks, Hein's left leg was amputated above the knee.

The Aftermath

Years of pain, litigation, and loss of quality of life followed Hein's horrendous experience at the hands of his medical providers. In May of 2018, nearly six years later, Hein was awarded $6.3 million dollars despite attorneys for the hospital arguing that his leg could not have been saved. This substantial award will no doubt ease the burden on Hein and his loved ones, but it can not bring his leg back.

Hein's life has been irreparably altered by the bungling of those who could have easily prevented this medical disaster. The $6.3 million was considered to be the largest medical malpractice award in Kane county's history. The jury determined that this was appropriate as punishment for the hospital and to compensate Hein for his pain, suffering, and the new adjustments he must make moving forward to simply engage in what many of us would consider routine daily activities. Thankfully, Hein's prostate cancer is in remission.

Have You Been Affected by Medical Malpractice?

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of medical malpractice, please contact our firm as soon as possible. We have legal professionals standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help you. Our legal team can live chat with you any hour of the day, or please feel free to call our law firm and speak to one of our representatives.

Contacting us can make all the difference when faced with loss of wages and quality of life. Do not suffer alone. There are legal professionals here who can help you get back on your feet and get the monetary damages you deserve. We serve clients in the Arlington Heights, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Libertyville, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove, Schaumburg, Elk Grove, and Itasca areas.

(image courtesy of Morgan Sessions)