Illinois Man Awarded $1 Million for Knee Surgery Error

A LaSalle County jury has awarded $1 million to a Tonica man who sued an orthopedic surgeon who mishandled his knee surgery.

The jury handed the award to Jack Hughes Sr. of Tonica, who sued Dr. Mark Kelley of Peru for allegedly being negligent in performing a total knee replacement that required seven surgeries over 21/2 years.

In contesting the lawsuit, Kelley argued that a prosthetic device used in the initial surgery was appropriate.

According to his attorney, Hughes was unable to return to his job as a vocational automotive instructor at Streator Township High School because of a chronic pain syndrome.

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Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com