Kornak v. N. Broward Hospital

Summary

Plaintiff Martha Kornak's husband, 35 year-old James Kornak, died after surgery to install a pacemaker, which was indicated for atrial fibrillation or arrhythmia (fast or irregular heartbeat).

The pacemaker was successfully implanted, but due to a complication, two surgeries were performed -- the second operation was a continuation of the first, but performed the following day. Kornak died of respiratory complications (aspirated fluid) 17 days later.

According to the plaintiff, Kornak's lungs were clear before the first surgery, but bilateral congestion subsequently developed, and the anesthesiologists should have recognized the respiratory distress and waited a few days before placing Kornak under anesthesia for the second time, given that the procedure was elective and not urgent.

The defense argued that many anesthesiologists and other providers were involved, and their judgment at the time was not negligent. Kornak did withstand the second anesthesiology, said the defense, and he came through the surgery fine. Instead, Kornak's respiratory distress did not result from the surgery, but was caused by Kornak's underlying anatomy, which caused pulmonary hemorrages in his lungs.

The jury found in favor of the plaintiff against all defendants, and awarded total damages of approximately $4.5M.

Outcome

Fault: Mina Akhnoukh-5%, Stephane Otmezguine-45%,
Charles Byrd-50%
Medical Expenses: 448,500
Funeral Expenses: 13,294
Loss to the Estate: 42,000
Martha Kornak:
Loss of Support: Past-350,000, Future-660,000
Loss of Companion: Past-500,000, Future-500,000
Reannan Kornak
Loss of Support: Past-350,000, Future-660,000
Loss of Father: Past-500,000, Future-500,000

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Kornak, Martha
Defense: North Broward Hospital District
Verdict: $4,523,794

Judge: Jeffrey Streitfeld
Jurisdiction: 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Judicial Complex

Case Number: 03-22761
Industry: Health care
Practice Area: Malpractice, Negligence, Tort Law

Plaintiff

Kornak, Martha

Represented By:
Rubio , Maria (Ratzan & Rubio)

Defense

North Broward Hospital District

Represented By:
Leinicke, Steven (Wicker Smith)

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

AM Session

Openings

1 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Opening Statement	Rubio , Maria

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:23	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Akhnoukh, Dr. Mina MD	In Person
01:17:40	Break
01:19:46	Witness Cross Examination	Rubio , Maria	Akhnoukh, Dr. Mina MD	In Person
02:13:04	End of Session

AM Session

Openings

2 Chapters

NOV

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

1 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Akhnoukh, Dr. Mina MD	In Person

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

1 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:01	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Systrom , Dr. David M.D.	In Person

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

1 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Akhnoukh, Dr. Mina MD	In Person

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

1 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Systrom , Dr. David M.D.	In Person

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:13	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Systrom , Dr. David M.D.	In Person
		00:54:36	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

1 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Systrom , Dr. David M.D.	In Person

NOV

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:20	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Otmezguine, Dr. Stephane MD	In Person
		01:42:31	Break

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Mazzei, Dr. William	In Person
		00:57:26	Break

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:08	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Mazzei, Dr. William	In Person
		00:23:41	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

3 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Mazzei, Dr. William	In Person
01:35:29	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Mazzei, Dr. William	In Person
01:44:30	End of Session

NOV

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

3 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:01	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Byrd, Dr. Charles L. MD	Transcript Reading
00:12:56	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Williams, Dr. David	In Person
01:15:05	Witness Cross Examination		Williams, Dr. David	In Person
01:16:50	General Case Activities
01:20:03	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Johnson, Dr. Peter	Video Recording
02:10:25	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Kornak, Mrs. Nicole	In Person

NOV

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:30	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Kornak, Mrs. Mary	In Person
00:44:40	Witness Cross Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Kornak, Mrs. Mary	In Person
01:48:41	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Kornak, Mrs. Mary	In Person
01:52:39	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

NOV

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:20	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Macgillivray, Dr. Thomas	In Person
		01:46:19	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:10	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Macgillivray, Dr. Thomas	In Person
00:30:55	Witness Cross Examination	Rubio , Maria	Macgillivray, Dr. Thomas	In Person
01:33:43	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Macgillivray, Dr. Thomas	In Person
01:47:26	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Akins, Dr. Jonathan Ph.D, DABT	In Person
02:44:33	End of Session

NOV

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:21	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Vender, Dr. Jeffrey S. MD	In Person
		02:20:10	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:01	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Vender, Dr. Jeffrey S. MD	In Person
00:42:49	Witness Cross Examination	Rubio , Maria	Vender, Dr. Jeffrey S. MD	In Person
01:47:45	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Vender, Dr. Jeffrey S. MD	In Person
02:09:48	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Akins, Dr. Jonathan Ph.D, DABT	In Person

NOV

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:01	General Case Activities
00:01:05	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Kaye, Dr. Marc MD	In Person
01:40:41	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Godleski , Dr. John	In Person
02:02:57	Break

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:15	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Godleski , Dr. John	In Person
01:12:34	Witness Cross Examination	Rubio , Maria	Godleski , Dr. John	In Person
01:47:21	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Godleski , Dr. John	In Person
02:02:23	End of Session

NOV

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:04	Witness Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Matthay, Dr. Richard M.d.	Video Conference
01:31:50	Witness Cross Examination	Rubio , Maria	Matthay, Dr. Richard M.d.	Video Conference
02:04:01	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Leinicke, Steven	Matthay, Dr. Richard M.d.	Video Conference
02:11:34	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Rubio , Maria	Matthay, Dr. Richard M.d.	Video Conference
02:12:41	End of Session

NOV

AM Session

Closings

3 Chapters

AM Session

Closings

3 Chapters

AM Session

Closings

3 Chapters

NOV

AM Session

Verdict

1 Chapters

NOV

Kornak v. N. Broward Hospital

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

AudioCaseFiles

Essentials

Training Libraries

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:05	Witness Direct Examination	Rubio , Maria	Byrd, Dr. Charles L. MD	Transcript Reading
02:38:02	Break

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:02:32	Closing Statement	Rubio , Maria
01:18:40	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:03	Closing Statement	Rubio , Maria
00:14:26	General Case Activities
00:45:04	End of Session