SBH Attorneys Greta Powel and Sarah Knoll Successfully Defend Podiatric Surgeon

SBH partner Greta Powell and associate Sarah Knoll successfully defended a podiatric surgeon at trial. The case involved a 51-year-old patient who underwent bunion correction surgery on her left foot four weeks after undergoing the same procedure on her right foot. The plaintiffs claimed the surgeon negligently proceeded with the second surgery before the first surgery had sufficiently healed and did not obtain advanced imaging to confirm adequate healing. They claimed this resulted in premature weightbearing which contributed to nonunion of the bone fusion and the need for subsequent revision surgeries. The defense argued the surgeries were reasonably staged four weeks apart based on the patient’s clinical progress and imaging studies and that a longer interval would not have prevented her delayed healing. The defense further argued nonunion was a known complication of the procedure, and the objective evidence demonstrated proper surgical technique and appropriate patient selection. The patient healed well and returned to an active lifestyle. The plaintiffs asked the jury to award over $1.2 million. After less than 30 minutes of deliberations, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. The case was tried in Cook County Circuit Court before The Honorable Brendan A. O’Brien.