Healthcare

SAKG’s health care litigation practice is one of the most respected in the Midwest. Few firms have more experience and success defending hospitals, multi-disciplinary health systems, long-term care facilities, and physicians against claims alleging catastrophic injury and wrongful death.

Given our reputation, SAKG is frequently called upon to defend the most complex, high-exposure cases in the region.

The firm’s long-standing work in defense of health care providers fosters strong relationships with leading medical experts and institutions throughout the United States.   These relationships benefit those we represent — from hospitals, to primary care providers, to cutting-edge subspecialists.

Aside from our extensive experience defending professional liability claims, SAKG successfully represents hospitals, health systems, and physicians in credentialing disputes, labor and employment matters, and other complex litigation matters arising from the delivery of health care.

• Achieved defense verdict in lawsuit involving allegations of peripheral nerve injury. Plaintiff alleged permanent and severe injury as a result of instruments used during cervical spine surgery.
• On behalf of a regional medical center, achieved voluntary dismissal of an eight-figure claim pursued by a young patient diagnosed with locked-in syndrome. The patient suffered an acute ischemic stroke following two visits to the medical center’s emergency department. After thorough preparation of key fact witnesses and retention of the nation’s leading experts on posterior-circulation stroke, plaintiff agreed to voluntarily dismiss all claims against the defendant facility.
• Obtained summary judgment in qui tam lawsuit that disgruntled physician brought against Salina Regional Health Center.  Ruling was affirmed on appeal in a precedent-setting case.  Conner v. Salina Regional Health Center, 543 F.3d 1211 (10th Cir. 2008).
• Obtained a defense verdict for medical device manufacturer in jury trial in Kansas City, Missouri, against allegations of design and warnings defects leading to permanent injuries.
• Obtained voluntary dismissal of suit alleging negligence in the performance of a gastrointestinal surgical procedure. Procedure resulted in unintended perforation of the patient’s bowel, requiring extensive surgical repair and hospitalization. Achieved a full and final dismissal for the physician alleged to have caused the perforation.
• Achieved voluntary dismissal of claims against a long term care facility alleged to have over-anticoagulated a patient who died from a gastrointestinal bleed. Through retention of a leading hematology expert, identified and pursued causation defenses which established over-anticoagulation would not have explained the patient’s condition, resulting in voluntary dismissal of all claims against the defendant facility.