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Prosthetic leg maker sued by man alleging multiple falls
12/1/2008 3:33 PM
A St. Charles man has filed suit against Orthotic and Prosthetic Lab, alleging he was seriously injured after multiple falls due to his prosthetic leg becoming detached from his body.
Randy Robison claims he fell in December 2006 as he was opening the back door to his house and again on Sept. 19, 2007, while walking down the driveway of his parent's house.
"He stepped forward with his left foot to exit and his prosthetic leg became detached from the socket attached to the silicone liner that covered his residual limb and caused him to fall," the complaint filed Nov. 24 in St. Clair County Circuit Court states.
Robison received the leg after his left leg was amputated because of diabetes in June 2003, the suit states.
Robison claims he was fitted with a prosthetic leg in August 2003 and another one in October 2006 after an unrelated injury to his right ankle. Orthotic and Prosthetic Lab fit his leg both times.
Because of his multiple falls, Robison was hindered and prevented from attending to his usual affairs and suffered great physical and mental pain and anguish, according to the complaint.
He also has incurred substantial medical costs, the suit states.
Orthotic and Prosthetic Lab had a duty to manufacture and design the leg so it was not defective, but failed to do that, Robison claims.
The company was negligent because it allowed the leg to be in an unsafe condition, failed to equip the product with any safeguards, failed to design the leg so it would not become unexpectedly detached from Robison's limb, failed to provide protection so the leg would not become detached from Robison's limb and failed to provide adequate warning about the high degree of risk involved with the use of the product, according to the complaint.
Orthotic and Prosthetic Lab also negligently failed to provide adequate servicing of the product to prevent it from unexpectedly becoming detached, the suit states.
In the six-count suit, Robison is seeking a judgment in excess of $400,000, plus costs.
Mark C. Scroggins, Clay B. St. Clair and Anthony P. Gilbreth of Crowder and Scroggins in Columbia will be representing Robison.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 08-L-601.
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