Presentations and Trials

Presentations:

1) Illinois Central College senior nursing class, "Nursing Malpractice."

2) Goshen College (Indiana) master level students on the topic of "Nursing Malpractice."

3) Clinical Faculty Academy (address given to nursing school faculty from Bradley University, Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing, Methodist College of Nursing, Illinois Central College, Heartland Community College, Illinois State University, University of Illinois–Chicago, Illinois Valley Community College, Illinois Weslyan University, and other Chicago area institutions), "Legal Issues in Clinical Education." [Note: this presentation will be August 12, 2009]

Miller v. Shelby Hospital. Shelby County case.

Plaintiff filed suit, claiming that her ovary was unnecessarily removed during an emergency appendectomy and exploratory laparotomy, resulting in an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke (her opposite side ovary and uterus had already been removed in another prior procedure). On the eve of trial at motion hearings, the judge ruled that cross examination of plaintiff's expert during the expert's discovery deposition revealed the expert's opinions on increased risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke to be too speculative and therefore inadmissible. He ordered that the expert not be allowed to testify to these damages. With little else in the way of damages to present, plaintiff voluntarily dismissed prior to the start of trial and jury selection.

Derby v. LaThrop, Macon County case.

Plaintiff was a new patient of the defendant's dental office. She came to him when the bridge which had replaced her upper front teeth came loose and fell out. After her Xray showed additional problems, Defendant extracted all remaining upper teeth, all remaining lower teeth, and provided the patient with a full set of dentures.

Dissatisfied with her new dentures, the patient sued her dentist, claiming that she had not been advised of reasonable treatment options other than complete extractions and full upper/lower dentures, and that a full lower denture was not a reasonable treatment option. Defense Verdict.