Living in eastern Oregon, Holly Walker enjoyed gardening and exploring the outdoors with her three children. However, she periodically experienced abdominal pain that eventually became serious enough for her to seek medical treatment. Unfortunately, a physician made a critical mistake in treating Walker that changed the quality of her life forever.

In the spring of 2006, Walker developed pain in the upper right quadrant of her abdomen. She was referred by her primary care physician to a gastroenterologist in Walla Walla, Washington. The gastroenterologist recommended an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a procedure used to identify kidney stones, tumors or narrowing in the bile ducts. He informed Walker that the procedure she needed was fairly simple and carried limited risks for complications. However, during the procedure, the gastroenterologist encountered problems and performed a risky “pre-cut” to better access Walker’s bile duct. His attempt to perform the pre-cut led to a punctured duodenum, which was not detected during Walker’s surgery.

With a torn duodenum, intestinal contents – including bile, hydrochloric acid, food, liquids, and enzymes for digesting food – spill into the abdomen. This life-threatening mixture is noxious and eats away at vital tissues and structures.

Immediately after surgery, Walker felt ill and experienced a great deal of pain. Nevertheless, she was discharged from the hospital, and her condition continued to deteriorate. The following day, Walker went to the emergency room where she was admitted and kept for observation for three days. On the third day, a CT scan was ordered and it revealed the perforated duodenum. Walker’s condition was considered critical, and a Life Flight helicopter was arranged for her immediate transport to Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland. After nearly a month of recovery at OHSU, Walker was released and returned home.

Walker realized that she had been the victim of medical malpractice and consulted an attorney for advice. She was eventually referred to Lawrence Baron, who handled her case against the gastroenterologist. With the help of medical experts, Baron was able to demonstrate that the ERCP procedure should never have been performed and that the physician was negligent during surgery and in the post-surgery care he provided. Because of that, the case was successfully settled at mediation.

Walker was impressed by Baron’s determination to hold the gastroenterologist accountable and by his accessibility to her. “Lawrence really did his research into my medical condition and was very professional,” she said. “He was always available and willing to answer my questions.”

Today, Walker’s life has largely returned to normal despite continuing to suffer from abdominal pain that was not addressed by her surgery two years ago. “I still feel residual pain, but the resolution of my case has helped me move on with my life.”