Heyl Royster Secures Defense Verdict in Winnebago County Medical Malpractice Trial

We are proud to announce that Heyl Royster recently secured a defense verdict in a difficult medical malpractice case in Winnebago County, Illinois. Mike Denning and Kristina Bitzer tried the case on behalf of an OB/GYN, a hospital, and a regional healthcare system.

The case involved a procedure performed following the plaintiff’s earlier miscarriage. During surgery to remove retained products of conception and a cervical fibroid, the patient suffered a uterine perforation that ultimately required an emergency hysterectomy to control life-threatening bleeding. She later experienced additional postoperative complications requiring further surgeries. Although ultrasound imaging had been performed, the fibroid was found during the procedure to be significantly larger than anticipated, increasing the risk of uterine perforation.

The plaintiff, who is also an OB/GYN, alleged that the defendant physician should have obtained additional imaging and used a different surgical approach. She claimed the physician deviated from the standard of care and committed medical battery by exceeding the scope of her consent.

During closing arguments, the plaintiff requested $2.5 million in damages. After considering the evidence, the jury found that the physician met the standard of care in all respects and did not commit medical battery.

This outcome reflects Mike and Kristina’s thorough preparation, strategic presentation of the evidence, and steadfast commitment to defending healthcare professionals and organizations in complex professional liability matters.