Stephanie Van Blarcom v. Chickkiah Padmanabhan
Published: Dec. 16, 2000 | Result Date: Sep. 8, 2000 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |Case number: MC008556 Verdict – $0
Judge
Court
L.A. Superior Civil West
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Michael S. Braun
(Law Offices of Michael S. Braun)
Defendant
Carmen S. Vigil
(Bonne, Bridges, Mueller, O'Keefe & Nichols)
Experts
Plaintiff
Donald J. Schiller
(medical)
Defendant
Leo A. Gordon
(medical)
Patrick Joseph
(medical)
Michael Chaikin
(medical)
Facts
On Feb. 10, 1993, the plaintiff underwent a cholecystectomy at Olive View Hospital. Subsequently, the plaintiff
experienced a dehiscence of her wound, and, becoming disenchanted with the care she was receiving in the ER
at Olive View Hospital for the dehiscent wound, she sought treatment from defendant Chickkiah
Padmanabhan on April 2, 1993. Over the course of three years Dr. Padmanabhan treated the patient with
various antibiotics, wound debridement, and multiple diagnostic testing to rule out extraneous causes of the
chronically-draining wound.
Over the course of treatment of the plaintiff, the defendant performed multiple drainage and exploration
procedures on the plaintiffÆs wound. Each time the plaintiff was in the hospital, she improved; each time she
returned home, her condition worsened and she became reinfected. Over time, Dr. Padmanabhan, becoming
concerned about the plaintiffÆs emotional state and entertaining the slight possibility that the plaintiff was
actively contributing to these recurrent infections, recommended that she see a psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist diagnosed depression. The plaintiff ultimately left the treatment of Dr. Padmanabhan in March
1996, whereupon she engaged the services of another surgeon, the latter of whom performed a wide excision of
the abscessed wound and chronically draining sinus tract.
After some suspicion of the subsequent treating physician that the plaintiff was reinfecting this repair, the
wound ultimately healed. The plaintiff later sued multiple healthcare providers for recurrent infections arising
out of a subsequent, unrelated knee injury, finally culminating in a leg amputation.
Settlement Discussions
The plaintiff demanded $250,000, prior to trial; $1,250,000 requested of the jury. The defendant offered $29,999.
Damages
The plaintiff asked the jury for $250,000 in general damages for the alleged injuries relative to her recurrent abdominal wound infections; the plaintiff then requested the jury $1 million in general damages based upon the ultimate amputation of her leg, subsequent to the recurrent infections in her knee, due to continuous self-infection as a result of her untreated MunchausenÆs disease.
Injuries
The plaintiff claimed pain and suffering for three years, subsequent infections of different body parts arising out of the plaintiffÆs unchecked MunchausenÆs disease.
Deliberation
30 minutes
Poll
12-0
Length
10 days
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