Professional Negligence Law Reporter

Benjamin Jukich underwent a vasectomy at a urology clinic and was discharged home, where he began to notice that his scrotum was swelling, darkening, and becoming increasingly painful. He went to a hospital ER that evening and was admitted to the facility for pain control. Jukich, who was diagnosed as having a scrotal hematoma, asked urologist David Prall to drain the hematoma to relieve the pressure it was causing. Prall told Jukich that surgery was not an option and that conservative management was his only option.

Jukich was discharged from the hospital but returned four days later in severe pain. Another urologist told him that it was too late to surgically evacuate the hematoma. After his release from the hospital eight days later, he consulted another physician, who performed surgery to evacuate the arterial hematoma. He continued to suffer from testicular pain and later underwent surgery to have his left testicle removed. He is now permanently disfigured.

Jukich and his wife sued Prall, alleging the defendant should have explained the risks of conservative treatment and the surgical options available to timely treat the hematoma.

The jury awarded $530,000.

Citation: Jukich v. Gaertner, No. 62-CV-22-617 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Ramsey Cnty. Apr. 26, 2024).

Plaintiff counsel: Paul Dworak and Jeffrey Storms, both of Minneapolis.