56-year-old Male has Right Shoulder Hemiarthroplasty Due to Undiagnosed Re-Dislocation

Type of Injury: Medical Malpractice

Type of Case: Settlement

Settlement Amount: $100,000

In January 2015, M-56, after falling and injuring his right shoulder, went to the emergency department of a Chicago-based hospital. He was diagnosed with a dislocated right shoulder and suspected rotator cuff tear. In the ER, the shoulder was manually reduced and stabilized; M-56 was directed to follow up with a sports-medicine physician within the week. At his original appointment with the sports-medicine physician, M-56 presented to the sports-medicine physician with a history of right shoulder pain and decreased range of motion. No x-ray or MRI was ordered that day. Approximately one month later, still presenting with the same pain and decreased range of motion, M-56 was diagnosed with a chronic re-dislocation that caused damage to the humeral head and necessitated hemiarthroplasty.

Plaintiff's expert contended an x-ray and/or an MRI was required at the original appointment with the sports-medicine physician given the patient's clinical condition and would have revealed the plaintiff's re-dislocation, which could have been reduced and would have prevented the damage necessitating hemiarthroplasty. Defendant's experts contended there was no reason for the any imaging studies of the shoulder and, moreover, M-56's condition was one of the rare times were a re-dislocation of a shoulder was asymptomatic.

This matter was settled before trial.

The above summary is specific to a particular case and is not intended as a projected outcome on any other matter.