Family of Injured Wisconsin Girl Receives $17M in Malpractice Case

The family of an Iowa County, Wisconsin, girl permanently disabled by a surgeon has received a $17 million settlement from the state’s medical malpractice fund.

Eight-year-old Shelbey Bomkamp had her spleen removed in June 2007 at St. Mary’s Hospital by Dr. Leonard Go of Dean Health System. Court documents say Go used a blender-like device to help remove the spleen, but caused internal damage that left the girl with permanent brain injuries. She cannot speak, uses a feeding tube and requires around-the-clock care.

The doctor’s deposition says he hadn’t used the device before and didn’t tell the girl’s parents he would be using it.

The Bomkamp family is from Highland, northwest of Dodgeville. Their attorney, Dan Rottier, says the $17.3 million settlement is the largest ever awarded in Dane County.
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Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, www.madison.com/wsj