More than $1.1 million awarded in lawsuit

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January 23, 2008

Staff The Suwannee Democrat Wed Jan 23, 2008, 09:25 AM EST

By Jeff Waters

jeff.waters@gaflnews.com

A Live Oak man was awarded more than $1.1 million by a local jury Jan. 16 in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

William P. Roberts Jr. was attacked by pit bulls while he was reading a meter for Suwannee Valley Electric Co-op in May 2003. He was 36 at the time.

After treatment by Dr. Romula Armas at Shands Live Oak, an infection spread to Roberts' heart, requiring valve-replacement surgery.

The jury found that Armas was negligent in treating Roberts for the dog bites, court records show.

One of Roberts' attorneys, Thomas T. Demas, said doctors used the Ross Procedure, in which a damaged aortic valve is replaced with a pulmonary valve from a cadaver. "Sometimes routine medical treatments can cause complications if it falls below acceptable standards of medical care," Demas said Friday. "Cleaning, irrigating and providing efficient antibiotics could have prevented this from occurring."

Armas' attorney, Dick Womble of Orlando, said he and his client were "obviously disappointed with the verdict."

"Armas did provide good care to Roberts," Womble added. "It is surprising to us how the jury sided."

Womble said that Roberts had told other physicians that he had fevers before the dog bites, indicating the infection started before treatment by Armas. Womble said he may appeal the verdict.

"I want to make people aware that if you get bit by a dog, don't discount the fact that an infection could spread," Roberts said Friday. "My attorneys did a tremendous job." Roberts said the jury had a tough decision to make, but feels they made a fair one.

The total award was $1,163,986.

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