Following an automobile accident, Maria Santa Maria received surgery for a deep cut on her wrist. After the surgery the cut became infected, and required several more operations, which ultimately led to severe scarring and the loss of some motor function in her wrist.
Representing Maria Santa Maria, Gregg Silverstein argued that Dr. Abrahams should have extended the incision during surgery to an ensure adequate cleansing of the wound.
Silverstein further argued that the infection was a result of Dr. Abrahams failing to extend the incision enough to adequately clean the wound. Silverstein said, “He could have extended that incision … there was nothing that would preclude him from doing that. The standard of care required that he do it, so that he could adequately clean … the wound.”
Silverstein asked for $140,000 in economic damages, plus general damages of $20,000 per year for every year since the accident (7.5 years), and $10,000 for every year for the rest of her life (35.4 more years).
Representing Dr. Anthony Abrahams, Kenneth Morgan of Billing Cochran Lyles argued that the plaintiff had not shown that the infection was a result of the operation. “Dr. Abrahams did not cause, or contribute to cause, any of those problems. He did everything he could. He acted appropriately, he acted reasonably, and he acted within the standard of care.”
The jury found that Dr. Abrahams was not negligent.
CVN webcast Santa Maria v. Abrahams live.