Date: 06-12-2000

Case Style: Robert Nicklow v. Bassam Kharma and Western Pennsylvania Hospital

Case Number: 98-014512

Judge: Paul F. Lutty

Court: 5th Judicial District, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Plaintiff's Attorney: Alan H. Perer of Swensen, Perer & Kontos, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Defendant's Attorney: David R. Johnson and Tom Anderson of Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie, P.C., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for Western Pennsylvania Hospital and Lynn E. Bell of Davies McFarland & Carroll, P.C. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Description: Medical Malpractice - Plaintiff claimed that he was severely burn with X-ray radiation and was exposed to increased risk of developing cancer as a result of being exposed to enough X-ray energy to produce 50,000 X-rays. Plaintiff entered Western Pennsylvania Hospital for an angioplasty under the care of Dr. Kharma who used a flouroscope to perform the procedure. Plaintiff claimed that the defendants failed to follow FDA guidelines for the use of flourscopes during angioplasties. Plaintiff claimed that because of a lack of expertise in the use of a rodoblader, Dr. Kharma exposed him to more than 3 hours of X-ray radiation on two different occassions. Because of his skin was exposed to so much radiation, it died and a hole developed in Plaintiff's back.

Outcome: Plaintiff's verdict for $1 million with a determination that Dr. Kharma was 90% at fault and defendant hospital was 10% at fault.

Plaintiff's Experts: Unknown

Defendant's Experts: Unknown

Comments: None