Last year, Frederick Southwick began feeling sharp pain in his left leg. Two months later, Southwick required a leg amputation. Despite the traumatic experience, Southwick’s physicians had no explanation why this happened. Southwick was in perfect health and was shocked by his medical problems.
After doing some research, Southwick remembered that 17 years earlier, he had surgery on his left Achilles’ tendon. To prevent bleeding during the procedure, a pressurized cuff was placed above his left knee to block the blood flow. Apparently, the cuff was left on too long, injuring the arteries. Since the surgery in 1995, the vessels progressively scarred and calcified, eventually blocking all blood flow to Southwick’s lower leg.
Southwick lost his leg because of a preventable error. Southwick’s life will never be the same, nor will the lives of roughly 1 million other innocent victims who suffer preventable injuries and deaths each year.
Harrell & Nowak is a boutique personal injury firm with a special focus on medical malpractice, helping victims like Southwick every day. Louisiana lawyers Shirin Harrell and Eric Nowak have handled many medical malpractice cases, resulting in the recovery of millions of dollars for their clients. If you have been the victim of medical malpractice, contact our New Orleans medical malpractice attorneys today. Our consultations are free. Call now.
[Tip of the Week: When you are having a surgical procedure, choose a hospital where many patients have had the procedure or surgery you need.]
Harrell & Nowak, LLC—New Orleans medical malpractice lawyers