Results
Al Goodman’s positive and impressive track record of verdicts and settlements are the proof that he fights and works hard to obtain justice for innocent victims and their families.
Botched bariatric weight-loss surgery
$7,000,000
Attorney Goodman acted as advisor and strategy consultant and counselor in a case against a hospital and surgeon who botched a banding surgery by reconnecting her lower intestine upside down, causing bile to flow up and out her mouth. Goodman worked with expert physicians and the subsequent treating surgeon to develop graphic illustrations, charts and a video showing the right and wrong ways to perform such a procedure. Pivotal in achieving a major multi-million settlement at mediation was the showing of a “Day in the Life” video that depicted the difficulties the victim encountered in trying to conduct her activities of daily living. Her husband and three minor children were also named as plaintiffs. They recovered significant loss of consortium claims in the eventual settlement.
$7,000,000
Attorney Goodman acted as advisor and strategy consultant and counselor in a case against a hospital and surgeon who botched a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery by reconnecting her lower intestine upside down, causing bile to flow up and out her mouth. Goodman worked with expert physicians and the subsequent treating surgeon to develop graphic illustrations, charts and a video showing the right and wrong ways to perform such a procedure. Pivotal in achieving a major multi-million settlement at mediation was the showing of a “Day in the Life” video that depicted the difficulties the victim encountered in trying to conduct her activities of daily living. Her husband and three minor children were also named as plaintiffs. They recovered significant loss of consortium claims in the eventual settlement.
Family of brain damaged infant receives millions
$3,500,000
When doctors in the obstetrics and gynecology labor unit of the hospital failed to perform a C-section in time despite obvious and ominous signs of fetal distress visible on the paper strips printing out fetal heart rate in response to contractions of the mother, Attorney Goodman sought to have the hospital and doctors held responsible for this child’s severe permanent brain damage due to hypoxia and encephalopathy. He retained leading experts in the respective fields of medicine to examine carefully all of the records and guide his questioning of doctors and staff at depositions once the case was in suit. Just before the start of trial, the hospital met Goodman’s demands and offered millions to settle this egregious case where doctor’s care fell below the standard of care and violated their own hospital standards.
$3,500,000
When doctors in the obstetrics and gynecology labor unit of the hospital failed to perform a C-section in time despite obvious and ominous signs of fetal distress visible on the paper strips printing out fetal heart rate in response to contractions of the mother, Attorney Goodman sought to have the hospital and doctors held responsible for this child’s severe permanent brain damage due to hypoxia and encephalopathy. He retained leading experts in the respective fields of medicine to examine carefully all of the records and guide his questioning of doctors and staff at depositions once the case was in suit. Just before the start of trial, the hospital met Goodman’s demands and offered millions to settle this egregious case where doctor’s care fell below the standard of care and violated their own hospital standards.
ER failed to diagnose accident victims bleeding from blunt abdominal trauma
$1,500,000
A sixty-six year old working woman was injured as a passenger in an intersection accident and taken to the ER on a Sunday morning in August. She arrived at 10:45 and was admitted for rib fractures. No “FAST” bedside sonogram was done before or after she was admitted for observation. During the afternoon her blood pressure and respiratory rate dropped ominously. A test then revealed loose fluid in the abdomen. Emergency surgery commenced and bleeding was found, but it was too late at that point at 4 pm to save her life. An administrator of her estate was appointed, a medical malpractice suit commenced, and after considerable discovery the case was settled on behalf of the family.
$1,500,000
A sixty-six year old working woman was injured as a passenger in an intersection accident and taken to the ER on a Sunday morning in August. She arrived at 10:45 and was admitted for rib fractures. No “FAST” bedside sonogram was done before or after she was admitted for observation. During the afternoon her blood pressure and respiratory rate dropped ominously. A test then revealed loose fluid in the abdomen. Emergency surgery commenced and bleeding was found, but it was too late at that point at 4 pm to save her life. An administrator of her estate was appointed, a medical malpractice suit commenced, and after considerable discovery the case was settled on behalf of the family.
Failure to diagnose stroke
$1,200,000
A male went to the ER with complaints of one-sided facial weakness, headaches, slurred speech and difficulty remembering words and speaking. The ER doctor did not diagnose a stroke or administer appropriate medications or do appropriate testing because he felt the man was too young and unlikely to be experiencing a stroke. The next day he was worse and was taken to another hospital where the stroke was diagnosed. He suffered permanent weakness and could no longer work. A letter was sent to the hospital and suit filed after 6 months. After depositions were taken, the insurance carrier suggested the parties submit to non-binding mediation. The settlement was put into a structured settlement and protected for the injured victim.
$1,200,000
A male went to the ER with complaints of one-sided facial weakness, headaches, slurred speech and difficulty remembering words and speaking. The ER doctor did not diagnose a stroke or administer appropriate medications or do appropriate testing because he felt the man was too young and unlikely to be experiencing a stroke. The next day he was worse and was taken to another hospital where the stroke was diagnosed. He suffered permanent weakness and could no longer work. A letter was sent to the hospital and suit filed after 6 months. After depositions were taken, the insurance carrier suggested the parties submit to non-binding mediation. The settlement was put into a structured settlement and protected for the injured victim.
Failure to diagnose bilateral dissected carotid arteries
$1,100,000
A male mid-forties college professor was out for a jog after partially recovering from a bad cold. During the jog, he experienced severe upper respiratory congestion and coughed so hard that he felt dizzy, had a headache and some visual disturbances. He went to the ER and the doctor who examined him attributed the problems to migraines, which he had previously experienced. He was sent home. The next day, feeling much worse and unable to use his hands well or focus on reading, he returned to the ER. A CT scan revealed that he had sustained bilateral dissected carotid arteries, likely from the coughing. An expert retained by Attorney Goodman reviewed the entire chart and rendered an opinion that the initial ER doctor should have done more tests and made a proper diagnosis. The failure to make the proper diagnosis resulted in serious permanent injuries to the college professor, who was unable to concentrate on reading and teaching, so he had to go on permanent disability. The case was settled after a lengthy mediation.
$1,100,000
A male mid-forties college professor was out for a jog after partially recovering from a bad cold. During the jog, he experienced severe upper respiratory congestion and coughed so hard that he felt dizzy, had a headache and some visual disturbances. He went to the ER and the doctor who examined him attributed the problems to migraines, which he had previously experienced. He was sent home. The next day , feeling much worse and unable to use his hands well or focus on reading, he returned to the ER. A CT scan revealed that he had sustained bilateral dissected carotid arteries, likely from the coughing. An expert retained by Attorney Goodman reviewed the entire chart and rendered an opinion that the initial ER doctor should have done more tests and made a proper diagnosis. The failure to make the proper diagnosis resulted in serious permanent injuries to the college professor, who was unable to concentrate on reading and teaching, so he had to go on permanent disability. The case was settled after a lengthy mediation.
ER misdiagnosis leads to wrongful death
$1,000,000
An elderly man was taken to the ER after falling out of bed at home with complaints of neck pain. The ER doctor diagnosed the cervical fracture that showed up on x-ray as stable and sent him home with instructions to see a neurosurgeon in ten days to follow up. After the man went home, his son took him to another hospital. He was admitted but lapsed into a coma and died due to a severed spinal cord. When Attorney Goodman filed suit, he took the deposition of the radiologist and dug into the facts. He discovered that the radiologist thought the fracture was unstable and thought the man should be kept at the hospital. His disagreement was overruled by the ER doctor. After the deposition, the defense collapsed and the insurance carrier agreed to negotiate. The case was settled on behalf of the family for a high six figure amount.
$1,000,000
An elderly man was taken to the ER after falling out of bed at home with complaints of neck pain. The ER doctor diagnosed the cervical fracture that showed up on x-ray as stable and sent him home with instructions to see a neurosurgeon in ten days to follow up. After the man went home, his son took him to another hospital. He was admitted but lapsed into a coma and died due to a severed spinal cord. When Attorney Goodman filed suit, he took the deposition of the radiologist and dug into the facts. He discovered that the radiologist thought the fracture was unstable and thought the man should be kept at the hospital. His disagreement was overruled by the ER doctor. After the deposition, the defense collapsed and the insurance carrier agreed to negotiate. The case was settled on behalf of the family for a high six figure amount.
Failure to diagnose temporal arteritis
$1,000,000
An elderly woman went to the ER with dark spots in vision. The ER diagnosed visual artifacts from migraines. He missed the high sedimentation rate results on her bloodwork and sent her home without entertaining other diagnoses. He did not administer or prescribe high doses of steroids to address the problem. Two days later she woke up completely blind in both eyes. Doctors at another hospital diagnosed temporal arteritis, a condition if not treated early, results in total and irreversible blindness because of lack of oxygen and blood supply to the ocular region. She moved to the West Coast to live with her daughters. After the suit was filed, defense counsel wanted to take her deposition in Massachusetts. Attorney Goodman filed an emergency motion with the court, asking for an order to compel defense counsel to go to San Francisco to take her deposition since their client set the whole preventable disaster in motion. The case was later settled for a significant sum which allowed her to live out the balance of her life comfortably with extra home aid, transportation services and other assistance.
$1,000,000
An elderly woman went to the ER with dark spots in vision. The ER diagnosed visual artifacts from migraines. He missed the high sedimentation rate results on her bloodwork and sent her home without entertaining other diagnoses. He did not administer or prescribe high doses of steroids to address the problem. Two days later she woke up completely blind in both eyes. Doctors at another hospital diagnosed temporal arteritis, a condition if not treated early, results in total and irreversible blindness because of lack of oxygen and blood supply to the ocular region. She moved to the West Coast to live with her daughters. After the suit was filed, defense counsel wanted to take her deposition in Massachusetts. Attorney Goodman filed an emergency motion with the court, asking for an order to compel defense counsel to go to San Francisco to take her deposition since their client set the whole preventable disaster in motion. The case was later settled for a significant sum which allowed her to live out the balance of her life comfortably with extra home aid, transportation services and other assistance.
Baby entitled to recover for suffering permanent damages called Erb’s palsy to his shoulder due to shoulder dystocia
$1,000,000
The hospital, doctors, staff and treating doctor failed to recognize in advance that the mother was too small to deliver a large baby. The doctor and midwife used improper maneuvers to pull the baby out and thus permanently injured his shoulder. Despite numerous operations, he will always have a permanent loss of function. After retaining numerous experts, Attorney Goodman was successful in proving his case. It settled at the start of trial for substantial confidential amounts for the child and parents.
$1,000,000
The hospital, doctors, staff and treating doctor failed to recognize in advance that the mother was too small to deliver a large baby. The doctor and midwife used improper maneuvers to pull the baby out and thus permanently injured his shoulder. Despite numerous operations, he will always have a permanent loss of function. After retaining numerous experts, Attorney Goodman was successful in proving his case. It settled at the start of trial for substantial confidential amounts for the child and parents.