A multimillion orthopedic malpractice verdict is expected to go to court again after a patient chose to seek a new trial against Sartell, Minn.-based St. Cloud Orthopedic Associates. Here is a timeline of the events leading up to the move:
Anuj Thapa had surgery for a left leg fracture at St. Cloud Hospital in Sartell, Minn. Chad Holien, MD, the orthopedic surgeon on call at the hospital, performed surgery to address the fracture. Mr. Thapa said he informed St. Cloud providers of "severe, difficult-to-control pain in his left lower leg" as well as "numbness, a burning sensation and reduced contraction of his muscles," according to court documents. Despite these symptoms, he was discharged the day after surgery and told to call a physician if his condition worsened. Six days after that, Mr. Thapa returned to the hospital for leg pain and underwent more than 20 surgeries and "has been left with severe, disabling, permanent damage to his left leg."
September 2019
Mr. Thapa filed a lawsuit against St. Cloud Orthopedic Associates alleging St. Cloud did not provide him with acceptable care, alleging providers failed to appropriately evaluate his symptoms and diagnose and treat his acute compartment syndrome, and did not appropriately discharge him.
May 2022
A jury has awarded Mr. Thapa more than $111 million in damages as a result of alleged negligent care. The verdict comprises $110 million in past pain, disability, disfigurement, embarrassment and emotional distress, $493,073 in past medical expenses and $758,486 in future medical expenses.
A federal judge has reduced the $111 million jury award in a malpractice verdict against Sartell, Minn.-based St. Cloud Orthopedic Associates to $10 million, calling the original "shockingly excessive." The judge's ruling does not impact $1.25 million that Mr. Thapa received for economic damages.
Anuj Thapa is seeking a new trial against St. Cloud Orthopedic Associates after a judge cut his jury award. If he had accepted the $10 million award, he would not have been allowed to appeal the judge's reduction, but he can following the new trial.