Hanford, CA (March 25, 2010) – McCormick Barstow attorney Michael F. Ball successfully defended his physician client in a medical malpractice case involving surgery for a leiomyosarcoma.

In this case, Defendant performed surgery to remove a mass from Plaintiff’s left upper arm, which was subsequently diagnosed as a leiomyosarcoma, or cancerous tumor.  Postoperatively, Plaintiff experienced muscle weakness and nerve pain. Subsequent evaluation and surgery was performed at UCLA revealing no residual cancer.  The tumor had to be dissected right off the lining of the radial nerve, but the Los Angeles surgeon confirmed the nerve had not been cut by Defendant, lending to nerve recovery.

Plaintiff alleged that the defendant was negligent in failing to obtain a pre-operative MRI for surgical planning.  Defendant contended that he provided appropriate care, including complete removal of the cancer, and that any residual nerve deficit was due to the tumor itself.

At the end of this nearly two week trial, which took place in Kings Superior Court, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the physician client.