Professional Negligence Law Reporter

Rachel Buonanducci, 34, underwent a Kidner procedure with a Piton soft-tissue fixation anchor on her left foot. Five months later, it was discovered that the anchor had detached from her navicular bone. She required additional surgery, including hardware removal, and experienced physical impairment, emotional distress, and damage to her foot. She has a fear of reinjury and is no longer able to run as far.

She sued her treating podiatrist, Robert Marra, and his employer, Podiatry Care, PC., alleging negligence for the failed procedure and respondeat superior liability. Suit claimed that the podiatrist had failed to properly repair Buonanducci’s posterior tibialis tendon, placed the soft-tissue anchor in the wrong position, and directed her to begin physical therapy and weight bearing without performing a postoperative X-ray.

The jury awarded over $356,300, including more than $81,300 in economic damages.

Citation: Buonanducci v. Marra, No. HHD-CV-19-6116686-S (Conn. Jud. Dist. Hartford June 29, 2022).

Plaintiff counsel: AAJ member Scott Camassar, North Stonington, Conn.

Plaintiff expert: David Weiss, podiatric surgery, Richmond, Va.

Defense experts: Edwin Wolf, podiatry, New York City; Mark Bernbach, podiatry, Waterbury, Conn.; and Ruben Kier, radiology, Orange, Conn.