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Personal Injury (Non-Vehicular)
Medical Malpractice
Amputation

Richard Muro v. Jack Sternlieb, M.D., et al.

Published: Oct. 21, 1995 | Result Date: Sep. 22, 1995 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |

Case number: I63644 –  $0

Judge

Arthur S. Block

Court

Riverside Superior


Attorneys

Plaintiff

John Miner

Nick Nicholas Mrakich


Defendant

Dennis K. Ames
(La Follette, Johnson, DeHaas, Fesler & Ames)


Experts

Plaintiff

Patrick Comer
(medical)

Aziz Khan
(medical)

Defendant

Robert L. Shuman M.D.
(medical)

H. Berkman
(medical)

Facts

On January 15, 1990, Plaintiff Richard Muro, a 61-year-old retiree, suffered a dissecting aorta which Defendant surgeon Jack Sternlieb, M.D., repaired. Post operatively, Plaintiff developed ischemia which was an allergic reaction to heparin called "white clot syndrome." Defendant stopped some, but not all, heparin and then mistakenly restarted heparin drip. Plaintiff clotted off in all arteries to the extremities. As a result, he required below-the-knee amputation of both legs and one arm.

Settlement Discussions

Defendant contends it made no offers and Plaintiff's demand was $412,000.

Specials in Evidence

$72,000

Injuries

Bilateral, below-the-knee, leg amputations and amputation of all fingers as well as the palm of the left hand. Plaintiff's wife claimed loss of consortium.

Deliberation

5 minutes (per Defendant), 1.5 hours (per Plaintiff)

Poll

12-0

Length

8 days


#109165

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