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SKETCHES OF COURT: Jury votes in favor of doctors in medical malpractice trial

June 29, 2016 By Alba Acevedo Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Court sketch by Alba Acevedo
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In this courtroom sketch, Hon. Bert Bunyan listens as defendant’s attorney Richard Mannarino (standing), of the law firm Marulli, Lindenbaum & Tomaszewski, addresses the jury during his summation in the medical malpractice trial Archer v. Wilbur Bowne, MD and Thomas Raftery, MD. Mannarino represents Raftery. 

Tameisha Archer was scheduled for an elective gallbladder operation in February of 2011. The laparoscopic procedure begun by Bowne gave way to emergency open surgery when hemorrhagic complications developed. Bowne called in Raftery, a vascular surgeon, to assist. In the span of a few days, Archer underwent two surgeries by Raftery to resolve internal bleeding issues, as well as execution of the cholecystectomy by Bowne. Bowne is represented by Neil Ptashnik (at right), of the law firm Ptashnik & Associates. 

Steven Siegel (seated at left), of counsel for the law firm Silbowitz, Garafola, Silbowitz, Schatz & Frederick, represented Archer. Siegel alleged that Bowne and Raftery committed medical malpractice as a result of negligence and departure from accepted standards of care. His client, 22 years old at the time, claims chronic pain, claudication in her left leg, disc herniation, a disfiguring scar and that she is disabled as a result of their actions during the operations. Siegel was joined by co-counsel Michael Bloomfield (third from right), and summer associate Michael Guttentag (second from right).  

Mannarino and Ptashnik argued that their clients did not depart from standards of care, and that their appropriate actions in the face of known risks saved Archer’s life when they prevented her from bleeding to death or losing her leg. 

Siegel presented evidence over the course of seven weeks, taking issue with details of the surgeries and missing operative reports. However, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants, finding no malpractice in the lengthy trial that concluded this week in Kings County Civil term. Court reporter Jennifer Buccheri (center) recorded the proceedings.

 

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