RON HERBERT OBTAINS DEFENSE VERDICT IN PHYSICAL THERAPY CASE IN RICHMOND

In September, Ron Herbert obtained an defense verdict on behalf of a Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) and her employer in a case in which the plaintiff alleged proper precautions were not taken to prevent a fall resulting in a hip fracture requiring revision hip surgery.   The plaintiff in the case was a 72 year old male who fell while performing a cone step exercise following a total hip replacement.     Plaintiff ’s experts opined that the PTA failed to use appropriate discretion and inappropriately advanced the patient to a more challenging exercise when the patient had unstable gait and groin pain.     Defense experts testified that  the exercises were appropriate and that the fall occurred due to a groin pull despite appropriate safety measures taken by the PTA, including hands hovering and Contact Guard Assist positioning.   Plaintiff claimed approximated $300,000 in medical bills from the revision surgery and follow-up care.