Man has Testicle Removed After Second Visit to ER

Verdict: Not Guilty

Date: January 2011

County: Cook

PLTF Experts: Dr. Jason D’Amore (Emergency Medicine)

DEF Medical: Dr. Roy Lacey (Family Practice), Dr. Linda Marie Druelinger (Emergency Medicine), Dr. Glenn Gerber (Urologist) and Timothy Fitzgerald (Paramedic)

DEF Experts: Dr. James G. Adams, (Emergency Medicine)

Summary: Plaintiff was brought to hospital by ambulance reporting abdominal pain. He complained of severe right quadrant pain and testicular pain. Plaintiff’s genitalia were examined and a CT of his abdomen was performed. All tests returned negative. Plaintiff reported no further pain after 13 hours in ER and was released. Plaintiff returned with testicular pain and swelling and tests revealed that he was suffering from testicular torsion with infarction to the right testicle. He underwent orchiectomy to remove the right testicle. The defense asserted that Plaintiff symptoms required the abdominal workup that was given and that he could not have had testicular torsion during the first ER visit based on the test results.