$200K Medical Malpractice Settlement in LA Post-Op Case
Table of Contents
Case Background
A high-stakes medical malpractice lawsuit, which spanned over two years and captivated legal observers in Los Angeles County, recently ended in a confidential settlement. Plaintiff Ingrid Sandstrom initiated the civil action in January 2023, alleging that medical negligence during a routine surgical procedure at a facility under the Regents of the University of California caused her severe and permanent injuries. The claim centered on the actions of two physicians, Dr. Whitney Pope and Dr. Chelsea Hesterman, whom Ms. Sandstrom maintained failed to uphold the accepted standard of care.
Ms. Sandstrom’s initial complaint detailed that she had undergone a common, non-emergency procedure. She asserted that the Defendant physicians, in the post-operative care phase, entirely missed a critical and escalating complication. The internal injury had already developed into a life-threatening crisis before staff correctly identified the problem, forcing Ms. Sandstrom to undergo emergency surgery months later. This corrective surgery, which doctors performed under great duress, left her with substantial, life-altering damage. The Plaintiff’s legal team argued that timely intervention would have minimized or completely averted the devastating consequences she suffered.
Cause
Medical Malpractice
The core of the legal challenge rested on the claim of medical malpractice. Ms. Sandstrom argued that the treating doctors and the institution had breached their duty to her as a patient. Her attorneys contended the medical team failed to exercise the degree of skill and knowledge ordinarily possessed and exercised by other competent medical professionals under similar circumstances. The Defendant physicians, she argued, committed this error when they neglected
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