November 15, 2021 by matray

A jury in Vermilion County, Illinois, reached a verdict of more than $14.75 million today in a medical malpractice action brought against Presence Hospitals, PRV, the former operator of the Presence United Samaritans Medical Center in Danville, Ill. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of L.B., a disabled person, through her guardian CIBC Bank USA.

The lawsuit alleged that Presence, individually and through its agents, was negligent in the medical care and treatment provided to L.B. while she was an inpatient at Presence United Samaritans Medical Center on April 22, 2014. L.B. was pregnant with twins and underwent a cesarean section procedure by the obstetrician on call, Mohannad Rajjoub, MD. Following the delivery of the twins, Rajjoub attempted to remove L.B.'s placenta when she had a condition known as placenta accreta, in which the placenta attaches deeply into the uterine wall. As a result, plaintiff presented evidence that the placenta was torn, and L.B. suffered massive hemorrhaging resulting in hypoxic brain injury and seizure like activity.

The plaintiff further alleged that negligent conduct of the anesthesiologist, Damon Green, MD, contributed to L.B.'s injuries. Plaintiff presented evidence that following the massive hemorrhage, L.B. did not receive proper resuscitative care which contributed to the hypoxia. This evidence included that no blood was available in the operating room for transfusion and that more than 30 minutes elapsed before the first transfusion was begun.

Plaintiff's medical expert in rehabilitation testified that L.B. sustained a severe and diffuse brain injury with global consequences, and that her intellectual age is 3 years, 3 months with an estimated IQ less than 34. L.B. is virtually totally dependent on all aspects of daily life and will require 24-hour, life-long care.

Presence Hospitals denied that Rajjoub and Green were its agents. It further maintained at trial that L.B. was not stable for transfer to a different hospital and required an emergency c-section during which the doctors and the hospital each acted within the standard of care.

The jury awarded the plaintiff a total of $14,756,744.03 consisting of $3 million each for loss of a normal life and pain and suffering, $7.4 million for future medical and caretaking expenses and $1,356,744.03 for past medical expenses.