Onstad Blog

Jul 30

Written by: Rock Onstad
7/30/2011 11:18 AM 

 

            A “bad result” can occur in the best of circumstance with no negligence or malpractice involved. However, a “bad result” is prerequisite for a meritorious medical malpractice case. To be successful in recovering damages to compensate the victim for damages, the victim must prove the following:
 
·         The bad result was caused by the negligence of a doctor, nurse or hospital. Negligence is conduct that is beneath accepted standards of care;
 
·         That the doctor, nurse or hospital’s negligence caused the bad result;
 
·         That the bad result has caused damages; and
 
·         That the doctor, nurse or hospital has sufficient insurance or assets to pay for the damages.
 
            Proving those elements requires expert opinion testimony from qualified experts in the particular field of healthcare. Finding such qualified experts to evaluate the case and who are willing to assist is difficult and expensive. The rules that govern such expert opinion testimony and reports if very complex and not well understood by many attorneys who attempt to handle such cases, as evidenced by the large number of appellate court cases dismissing claims because of a technical failure on the part of the attorney.
 
            There are very complex and misunderstood rules for giving notice of a claim, in providing proper medical authorizations, and the statute of limitations.
 
            Informed consent forms signed by patients before they undergo a procedure may be a big hurdle to overcome. Before any procedure, a patient is usually required to sign a consent form, which lists about every bad result that is known to occur in connection with the procedure. The thrust is that the patient voluntarily undertakes the risk of many types of bad results, ranging from death, paralysis, nerve damage and more. This is very important, because a defendant doctor will defend the case on the basis of the victim’s voluntarily undertaking the risk and acknowledging that such bad results can occur if the doctor does everything perfectly.
 
            Other issues in bringing a malpractice case include caps on non-economic damages, statute of limitation issues, and dismissal of claims because of failure to comply with the requirements regarding expert reports. I will address those issue in subsequent blogs.

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VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS in which Rockne W. Onstad was Lead Counsel or Co-Counsel

    Gross Amount  Client Recovery        Attorney Fee           Expenses Nature
$13,650,000 $8,055,000 $5,460,000 $135,000 Product Liability, Military Helicopter Gear Box, Spinal Injuries (settlement)
$9,200,000 $6,320,064 $2,760,000 $119,358 Product Liability, Aircraft Carburetor, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$6,800,000 $4,473,334 $2,266,666 $60,000 Premises Liability, Brain Injury, Water Park Slide (settlement)
$4,980,000 $2,437,000 $2,490,000 $53,000 Labor & Delivery Negligence, Fetal Distress, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$4,300,000 $309,000 $138,000 $13,000 Pilot Negligence, Airplane Crash, Wrongful Death (jury verdict)
$3,850,000 $2,373,000 $1,425,000 $52,000 Labor & Delivery Negligence, Fetal Distress, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$3,500,000 $2,028,000 $1,400,000 $72,000 Product Liability, Defective Pick-Up, Spinal Cord Injury (settlement)
$3,235,000 $2,361,250 $808,750 $65,000 Brain Injury, Federal Tort Claim, FAA Negligence (verdict) affirmed on appeal
$3,000,000 $1,724,000 $1,200,000 $76,000 Neurosurgeon Malpractice, Cauda Equina Syndrome (settlement)
$2,950,000 $1,731,000 $1,180,000 $39,000 Defective Design of Helicopter, Paralysis & Wrongful Death (settlement)
$2,900,000 $844,000 $694,000 $26,000 Auto Accident, Spinal Injury & Ankle Injury (jury verdict/settlement)
$2,800,000 $1,864,667 $924,333 $12,000 Premises Liability, Hotel Fire, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$2,500,000 $1,644,667 $833,333 $22,000 Product Liablity, Defective Farm Tractor, Arm Loss (settlement)
$2,300,000 $1,399,000 $960,000 $41,000 Medical Malpractice, Anesthesia, Brain Injury (settlement)
$2,300,000 $1,091,000 $920,000 $59,000 Product Liability, All Terrain Vehicle, Spinal Cord Injury (settlement)
$2,200,000 $1,321,000 $733,333 $44,000 Cerebral Palsy, Medical Malpractice, Preeclampsia (settlement)
$2,200,000 $1,267,000 $880,000 $53,000 Construction Negligence & Insurance Bad Faith, Spinal Injury(settlement)
$2,200,000 $1,191,000 $880,000 $129,000 Product liability, subdural hematoma
$2,100,000 $1,462,334 $557,666 $80,000 Hospital Labor Nurse Negligence, Fetal Distress, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$2,000,000 $1,303,334 $666,666 $30,000 Anesthesia Malpractice, Esophageal Intubation, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$2,000,000 $1,106,887 $800,000 $93,111 Radiologist Malpractice, Brain Catheterization, Brain Injury (settlement)
$2,000,000 $976,484 $976,482 $47,034 Obstetrician Malpractice, Forceps Delivery, Brain Injury (settlement)
$2,000,000 $972,331 $972,669 $55,000 Obstetrical Malpractice, IUGR, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$1,900,000 $905,000 $950,000 $45,000 Clinic Failure to Supervise Impaired Physician, 4 Injured (settlement)
$1,900,000 $73,000 Pilot Error, Helicopter Crash, Wrongful Death (jury verdict-no insurance coverage)
$1,860,000 $978,518 $645,000 $137,480 Neurosurgeon Malpractice, Infection, Cauda Equina Syndrome (settlement)
$1,700,000 $1,130,730 $565,363 $3,907 Product Liability, Defective Refueling Coupling, Burns (settlement)
$1,500,000 $847,000 $600,000 $53,000 Defective Aircraft Component, Military Aircraft, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$1,425,000 $900,310 $457,571 $67,119 Intraoperative Spinal Cord Monitoring Negligence, Spinal Cord Injury (settlement)
$1,400,000 $848,221 $503,552 $51,227 Obstetrician Malpractice, Group B Strep Infection, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$1,400,000 $718,689 $560,000 $130,522 Neurosurgeon Malpractice, Infection, Brain Injury (jury trial & settlement)
$1,400,000 $818,000 $560,000 $22,000 Auto Trucking Accident, Spinal Injury (settlement)
$1,300,000 $718,689 $520,000 $26,000 Hospital Newborn Nursing Negligence, Visual Impairment (settlement)
$1,300,000 $285,000 $250,000 $33,189 Emergency Room Malpractice, Wrongful Death (jury verdict and settlement))
$1,237,000 $718,689 $400,000 $30,000 Cardiologist Malpractice, Brain Injury (settlement)
$1,200,000 $659,879 $395,666 $144,455 Prolapsed umbilical cord, Hospital Obstetrics Negligence
$1,167,000 $594,086 $417,000 $72,513 Emergency Room Negligence, Heart Attack, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$1,150,000 $727,667 $383,333 $39,000 Obstetrician Malpractice, Group B Strep, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$1,111,000 $594,933 $444,400 $71,623 Product Liability, Heart Stent, Heart Damage (settlement)
$1,100,000 $770,000 $440,000 $25,996 Radiologist Malpractice, Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer, Death (settlement)
$1,060,000 $532,715 $478,991 $48,810 Obstetrician Negligence, Breech Delivery, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$1,000,000 $630,000 $333,000 $36,000 Defective Military Aircraft, Manufacturing Defect, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$1,000,000 $566,116 $400,000 $33,884 Surgeon Malpractice, Bile Duct Injury, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$1,000,000 $477,500 $477,500 $45,000 Surgeon Malpractice, Bariatric Surgery, Wrongful Death (settlement)
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