Corcoran vs. Snitovsky

Introduction:

The medical visit which triggered this dispute ended in one of the worst ways imaginable: dismemberment. The circumstances of how it arose are at the center of this new case from Cook County, Illinois.

Filed: June 9, 2016

Jurisdiction: Circuit Court of Illinois, Cook County

Category: Medical Malpractice

Plaintiff: Nicholas Corcoran

Defendants: Peter Snitovsky, M.D.; Alex Orthopaedics, LLC; Norwegian American Hospital, Inc.

Summary:

On April11, 2013, Nicholas Corcoran went to see his doctor Peter Snitovsky at the Norwegian American Hospital. Dr. Snitovsky recommended and performed an open reduction internal fixation extensor tendon repair on one of Corcoran’s fingers. While little is mentioned of the motive or specific implementation of this procedure, internal fixations normally involve the implantation of some item within the body to fix a body or some other health problem. In Corcoran’s case, the end result was that he lost a finger. Why that happened is the premise of this recently filed lawsuit. He contends that it was because of deficiencies in the treatment he received from the doctor and medical facility. His exact complaints and the nature of his case are highlighted next.

Claims And Damages:

Corcoran formed his lawsuit as one of medical malpractice against the doctor, relevant company, and the healthcare facility. This is a cause of action that rests on the assumption that the care the plaintiff got was not sufficient. Here is why he thought that (according to him): the defendants did not give him antibiotic medications after the internal fixation surgery; they failed to implement a plan of medicinal treatment after the surgery; they did not provide the plaintiff proper or sufficient discharge instructions; and they were generally negligent in treating him.

These claims were generally leveled against the doctor and the hospital.

As mentioned before, the injuries that Corcoran suffered from this series of events were not minor. Here are some of the damages he incurred following the surgery:

• The loss of one of his fingers
• Increased hospital and medical bills
• Disability
• Pain and suffering

Insights:

• The starting point for this case was the decision to perform the internal fixation. Was this appropriate? Was there a less risky alternative? Then, moving on to the actual performance, did the breakdown that eventually lead to the finger loss result from deficient care or was it something that could not be avoided? These questions all get to whether or not the doctor operated within a zone of reasonableness while treating the plaintiff and will be the focal points of this case.
• This incident ended in dismemberment. Aside from any reduced earning capacity, this will inevitably lessen his quality of life, self-esteem, and in other intangible ways change his life for the worse. This is probably why significant recoveries are not infrequent with dismemberment situations and why this aspect will be crucial to this suit.

Related Laws:

• 735 ILCS 5/2-622
• 740 ILCS 180
• 750 ILCS 65/15
• 735 ILCS 5/13-212
• 735 ILCS 5/2-1116
• 735 ILCS 5/2-1115
• 735 ILCS 5/2-1114
• 735 ILCS 5/2-1205

Do You Need Help With An Illinois Surgical Error Case?

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