$4.8 Million Jury Verdict for Delayed Diagnosis of Epidural Abscess

Edward Dallies, 51, was admitted to a hospital suffering from a swollen left arm and back pain. A family physician, Dr. Lawrence Rahall, prescribed intravenous antibiotics.

A bone scan showed Dallies had a compression fracture of the spine. However, he did not undergo an MRI because he did not fit into the hospital’s MRI machine. Five days later, Dr. Rahall stopped the antibiotics. Dallies was discharged three days later.

Dallies’ neurological condition worsened. He became unable to move his legs. Dallies was later diagnosed as having an epidural abscess, which necessitated surgery. As a consequence of his injuries, he now suffers from paralysis and neurological deficits, including a neurogenic bowel and bladder. He is unable to continue working as a laborer earning approximately $25,000 per year.

Dallies filed a lawsuit against Dr. Rahall and one of his treating orthopedists alleging that they chose not to timely diagnose and treat the epidural abscess and start appropriate antibiotic therapy. The lawsuit also alleged that the defendants chose not to stabilize the compression fracture.

A jury signed a verdict for $4.8 million in favor of Dallies.

The attorneys successfully handling this case were John P. Gismondi and Joseph Froetschel.

Dallies v. Lehman, No. 30003/16 (Pa. Ct. Com. Pl. Lawrence County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling orthopedic negligence lawsuits, hospital negligence cases, misdiagnosis of infection lawsuits, traumatic brain injury cases and physician negligence lawsuits 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 LaGrange Highlands, Hinsdale, Westmont, Downers Grove, Lombard, Berkeley, Elmwood Park, Lincolnwood, Arlington Heights, Wheeling, Lake Zurich, Hawthorne Woods, Libertyville, Half Day, Deerfield, Highwood, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, North Chicago, Winthrop Harbor, Lindenhurst, Lake Villa, Mattawa, Bannockburn, Glenview, Forest Park, Stickney, Crestwood, Burbank, Oak Lawn, Dixmoor, Oak Forest, Tinley Park, Chicago (Avalon Park, Calumet Heights, East Side, Pullman, Bronzeville, Kenwood, Woodlawn, Little Italy, Chinatown, Greek Town, West Town, Logan Square, Portage Park, Rogers Park, Uptown, Edison Park, Norwood Park, Albany Park), Morton Grove, Skokie and Prospect Heights, Ill.