Lou La Cava and Barbara Chapman obtained a defense verdict for two surgeons

Lou La Cava and Barbara Chapman obtained a defense verdict for two surgeons in a case tried in Hillsborough County. The Plaintiff alleged one of the surgeons was negligent by perforating the patient’s stomach during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The defense argued that the perforation of the stomach occurred after surgery as a result of a ulcer caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories the patient had been on prior to surgeries. After the stomach repair surgery the patient had numerous complications and non-healing wounds. The patient ended up having 10 surgical procedures. The Plaintiff’s expert witness opined the surgeons were negligent in how they performed the subsequent surgeries. The defense argued the additional surgical complications were not caused by negligence. Plaintiff alleged she was permanently disabled, had chronic pain requiring narcotic pain medication, developed a large hernia, lost a large portion of her abdominal wall and had severe scarring. After a 3 week trail the jury returned a verdict for the defendants.