$12 Million Jury Verdict for Wrongful Death and Medical Negligence in Failure to Diagnose and Treat Deep Vein Thrombosis

Isatu Sheriff, 39, underwent the removal of a bunion by a podiatrist and was placed on blood thinners following the surgery. One week after finishing the blood thinning medicine, she went to an urgent care facility complaining of leg pain. An emergency room physician performed a workup for muscle pain and back pain and prescribed opioids.

Sheriff collapsed and died eight days after that urgent care facility visit. The cause was determined to be a pulmonary embolism that traveled from her leg to lodge in her lung. She had been a certified nursing aid earning approximately $38,000 annually and was survived by her husband and two minor children.

Sheriff’s husband sued the doctor alleging that she chose not to test for and diagnose deep vein thrombosis. The Sheriff lawsuit alleged that the doctor should have ordered a Doppler ultrasound and a D-Dimer test, which would have revealed a treatable blood clot.

Following a jury trial, the jury signed a verdict for $12 million, which was entered by the court as a judgment in favor of the Sheriff estate.

The attorneys successfully handling this tragic case were Scott M. Perry and Catherine Bertram.

At trial, the Sheriff attorneys presented experts in urgent care medicine, vascular surgery and podiatry.

Sheriff v. Roe, No. 2017-063685 (Va. Cir. Ct. Fairfax County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling emergency facility negligence lawsuits, physician negligence cases, misdiagnosis of deep vein thrombosis lawsuits and wrongful death cases for individuals, families and loved ones who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Palos Hills, Worth, Waukegan, Aurora, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Wheaton, Carol Stream, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Countryside, Hickory Hills, Palos Park, Orland Park, Crestwood, Forest Park, Markham, Dixmoor, Franklin Park, Frankfort, Lincolnshire, Lincolnwood, Winnetka, Northbrook, Highwood, Homewood, Lake Bluff, North Chicago, Gurnee, Grayslake, Chicago (Rogers Park, Ravenswood, Roscoe Village, Albany Park, Ravenswood Manor, Old Town, Ukrainian Village, Humboldt Park, Pilsen, Near South Side, Chinatown, Bridgeport, Canaryville), Maywood, North Riverside, Brookfield and Bellwood, Ill.

Robert D. Kreisman has been an active member of the Illinois and Missouri bars since 1976.