Buffalo, New York | $752,000 | Podiatric Malpractice
A jury returned a verdict of $752,000 for Gail Skerencak, an 18-year-old nursing student and figure skater who suffered Achilles tendon problems as a result of this podiatrist removing what is commonly known as a "pump bump" also known as a Haglund's deformity. Skerencak had pump bumps on the back of both feet as a result of her figure skating hobby. She was even to tryout out for the Ice Capades but the botched surgery caused these dreams to end. Ballow showed the jury that the defendant should have made a lateral incision and not a central incision through the Achilles tendon. The defendant negligently failed to treat the plaintiff because he did not use antibiotics after surgery, and one of the wounds became infected. The verdict was returned after a three-week trial. The defense appealed, and the verdict was almost entirely affirmed by the Appeals Court.
