The team of Billy Murray, Anna Maria Sparke, and Clayton Christian obtained a favorable jury verdict after a four-day jury trial in the 4th Judicial District Court in Monroe, Louisiana, from August 12-15, 2024.
On February 15, 2017, Dr. Douglas Brown performed a right shoulder hemiarthroplasty on Danny Leichman at P&S Surgical Hospital. Mr. Leichman was 52 years old at the time. Post-operatively, Mr. Leichman suffered from right shoulder joint pain, swelling, and stiffness with limited range of motion. After conservative treatment failed, Mr. Leichman sought a second opinion from Dr. Gary Michael Haynie in Shreveport on July 6, 2017. Dr. Haynie noted that Mr. Leichman had “very limited range of motion right shoulder secondary to pain” and “painful hemiarthroplasty right shoulder secondary to malposition of the prosthesis.” On August 21, 2017, Dr. Haynie performed a revision of the surgery performed by Dr. Brown in February. In his Operative Report, Dr. Haynie noted that “the previous prosthesis was felt to be not inserted deeply enough and also the cut on the humeral head was not deep enough.” Dr. Haynie removed the prosthesis placed by Dr. Brown and replaced it with a smaller prosthesis. Post-operatively, Mr. Leichman followed up with Dr. Haynie for several months and improved with physical therapy. A Medical Review Panel was split 2-1 with the dissenting physician finding that Dr. Brown failed to meet the accepted standard of care for an orthopedic surgeon, that the hardware placed by Dr. Brown was malpositioned, and that Dr. Brown’s deviation from the applicable standard of care caused Mr. Leichman to suffer significant pain, requires Mr. Leichman to undergo a revision surgery, and rendered Mr. Leichman unable to timely return to work.
After a four-day jury trial in Monroe, the jury returned a verdict finding that the care and treatment rendered by Dr. Brown was below the standard of care and caused injury to Danny Leichman that he would not otherwise have incurred. The jury awarded Mr. Leichman $225,000.00 for physical pain and suffering, $155,000.00 for mental pain and anguish, and $94,361.38 for medical expenses. The jury also awarded Mrs. Leichman $75,000.00 for loss of consortium. The award totaled $455,000.00 in general damages plus $94,361.38 in medical expenses for a total of $549,361.38 plus costs and legal interest since the date of filing of the original medical malpractice claim on January 25, 2018, until paid. Plaintiff’s recovery after costs and legal interest totaled $794,862.03. The defendant refused to make any settlement offer before trial.
The Danny Leichman Story
John Hammons, Medical Malpractice Attorney
John Hammons is one of Louisiana’s leading medical malpractice and nursing home negligence lawyers, and is often called upon by individuals as well as by other lawyers to assist them in the most difficult of cases. He has served on the Governor’s Commission on Medical Malpractice, which provided him with significant insight in this area of developing law. John was also among the first lawyers in Louisiana emphasizing the handling of medical malpractice cases three decades ago. He has been at the forefront of precedent-setting cases, and is often invited to speak before legal and medical groups. John holds an undergraduate degree from Northeast Louisiana University and a law degree from Louisiana State University.
Fighting For Your Rights
Nelson & Hammons has championed the rights of victims of medical malpractice since 1980, having successfully represented hundreds of such patients or their families. With its office in Shreveport, Nelson & Hammons remains committed to quality medical care for its clients and their families as well as obtaining just compensation for those patients who have been seriously injured as a result of substandard medical care. With two attorneys specializing in the handling of medical malpractice, nursing home negligence and related matters, Nelson & Hammons is uniquely positioned to effectively and thoroughly investigate and prosecute such cases.