Reading (AP) – A jury awarded more than $2 million to a man who had a corn removed
from his toe and ultimately lost both legs after a series of infections.
Donald Davis, Sr., 59, of North Wales, Montgomery County, sued Pottstown podiatrist
Therese M. Rinaldi, who removed the corn.
Davis, who had circulation problems, developed an infection, gangrene and then a staph
infection after the corn was removed. He was later treated for sores on both legs. Doctors
ultimately decided to amputate his right leg above the knee and his left leg below the knee.
The Berks County jury set Davis’ damages at $3.4 million, but found he was 40 percent
responsible, lowering the award to almost $2.07 million. Davis did not tell Rinaldi about his
circulation problems when he first visited her office, according to court records.
Davis alleged that Rinaldi did not review his medical records before removing the corn
from his small toe on September 27, 2000, at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center.
Davis, who was also treated at St. Joseph Medical Center, also sued surgeons and both
hospitals, but they were dismissed as defendants before the two-week trial.
The jury deliberated for more than a day, according to Davis’ lawyer, Richard M. Golomb of Philadelphia.
Rinaldi’s attorney, Alan S. Gold of Philadelphia, said he plans to appeal.
