John R. Penhallegon Receives Defense Award in Medical Malpractice Arbitration Proceeding

November 20, 2014 03:06 PM

IADC member and 2014 Trial Academy Director John R. Penhallegon, of Cornblatt, Bennett, Penhallegon & Roberson, P.A., received a defense award after a four day binding medical malpractice arbitration proceeding on November 19, 2014.

Plaintiffs' decedent, a practicing lawyer, presented to Mr. Penhallegon's client a Pain Management physician for consideration of corticosteroid hip injections to relieve pain from osteoarthritis. The patient's history included coronary artery disease with two prior coronary stents, and medical management included Plavix and aspirin daily as dual antiplatelet therapy. The defendant Pain Management physician recommended that antiplatelet medication be withheld for 7 days prior to injections to minimize the risk of bleeding complications. The injections proceeded without apparent incident. The next day the patient was found dead in his bathroom. Plaintiffs alleged he died from a stent thrombosis secondary to the interruption of his medication.

The arbitrator found that there was no causal connection between any alleged breach or failure to obtain informed consent and the patient's death.

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