<court>Genesee County (Mich) Circuit Court</court>
A 30-year-old woman presented to her Ob/Gyn with venereal warts. The physician removed them via cauterization. Following the procedure, the patient developed adhesions. She now has permanent scarring and experiences pain during intercourse.
In suing, the woman claimed that cauterization was unnecessary. In addition, she alleged that if she had received timely followup care, the adhesions could have been rubbed away.
The physician argued that the cauterization was appropriate. Further, he contended that aftercare was indeed scheduled, but the patient failed to make the appointment. The woman’s medical files, however, showed no record of any scheduled follow-up.
- The jury awarded the plaintiff $250,000.
The cases presented here were compiled by Lewis L. Laska, editor of Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts. While there are instances when the available information is incomplete, these cases represent the types of clinical situations that typically result in litigation.