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Hiltunen v. M.D.

State of Michigan/Houghton County/Circuit Court

In March 2024, Attorneys Mark Budzinski and James Gollnick secured a unanimous no liability verdict in a medical malpractice case brought against an orthopedic surgeon.  This case was brought following a total hip arthroplasty (THA), and subsequent hip dislocation that occurred days following the procedure.  Hip dislocation is a known risk associated with a THA, and plaintiff alleged that the surgeon was negligent in his placement of the acetabular cup during this procedure, in that the inclination was not within a “safe zone,” and that he was therefore negligent.  Plaintiff alleged that said negligence caused the hip dislocation and following complications.

In a four-day trial, defense counsel successfully argued that the defendant surgeon's placement of the components used during the procedure met the standard of care, and that the occurrence of a hip dislocation was a known risk, and informed consent was appropriately provided.  The jury of seven returned a unanimous no-negligence verdict after a brief deliberation.