James B. Hood Obtained Defense Verdict for Medical Malpractice Case

James B. Hood and H. Cooper Wilson, III of the Hood Law Firm, LLC obtained a defense verdict on December 7, 2011 in the Court of Common Pleas, State of South Carolina, Richland County before the Honorable James R. Barber, III. The Plaintiff filed a medical malpractice case against the Defendant physician and his practice alleging that he breached the standard of care while providing care to her in the Spring of 2007. Specifically, the Plaintiff suffered a broken left leg for which the Defendant applied a long leg cast. Several weeks post-operatively, the Plaintiff developed an infection in her leg which she attributed to the doctor’s negligence for either improperly casting the leg or for failing to discover the complication in a timely manner.

The Defendant presented evidence through medical records and witness testimony that he properly casted the leg and the post-operative care was reasonable and appropriate. Specifically, the Defendant offered evidence that the Plaintiff did not present with the clinical signs or symptoms of a complication
following her surgery and thus the Defendant had no reason to suspect a complication. Finally, the Defendant presented evidence that the Plaintiff’s condition changed following her final visit with the Defendant and those changes caused the Plaintiff’s infection.

The case was tried for three days and the jury returned a verdict for the Defendant.