Facts

Diane Oberstein was admitted to the Riverside Community Hospital in November 2003 where she underwent a total left knee replacement performed by Dr. Harkeerat Dhillon. She was discharged to Community Care and Rehabilitation Center under the care and treatment of Dhillon and Dr. Andrew Corr. Oberstein followed-up with treatment on six different occasions after it was discovered that she could not extend or lift the affected leg. She vigorously complained to the doctors about her knee not tracking correctly, it shifted at an angle, had extreme burning pain, diminished mobility, buckling of the left knee, and back pain. Dhillon found her complaints to be normal and ordered her leg be placed in a cast from Dec. to the end of January 2004. She was admitted to the hospital at the end of Jan. where Dhillon performed a release on her left patella due to "maltracking" of her left knee. She was required to attend physical therapy sessions through March 2004, but which resulted in no improvement.

Dhillon informed Oberstein in mid-May of the need for a third surgery. She was admitted on May 28 where Dhillon performed a quadriceplasty and quadriceps realignment. The doctor removed a large amount of tissue from Oberstein's left quadriceps and left leg during the procedure. Her conditions remained unimproved and after approximately eight months of extreme pain, limited mobility, and lack of improvement, she sought the opinion of orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Harry Skinner who informed her that her knee was rotating, an abnormal condition requiring total knee revision surgery.

Oberstein underwent total knee revision on Nov. 30, 2005, performed by Skinner. The doctor discovered significant internal rotation and replaced the original prosthesis implanted by Dhillon with a new one.

Oberstein sued Dhillon for medical malpractice.

Injuries

Oberstein claimed that as a result of Dhillon's negligence, she had to suffer multiple, subsequent knee surgeries causing pain and suffering, as well as emotional distress.

Result

The jury rendered a defense verdict.