A Santa Clara County resident has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a local physician, alleging severe negligence in the treatment of a persistent wound. On August 14, 2024, Mona Sander lodged her complaint with the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, accusing Dr. Todd Steven Anhalt of grossly mishandling her medical care.
According to the court documents, Mona Sander sought medical attention from Dr. Todd Steven Anhalt on May 16, 2023, for an unhealed wound resulting from a punch biopsy conducted in 2019. Despite following prescribed care instructions, Sander's wound failed to heal. During her visits to Dr. Anhalt's clinic over a span of three months, she repeatedly complained about a "rotting flesh" smell emanating from the wound. However, her concerns were dismissed by Dr. Anhalt who continued with the same treatment regimen without any modifications.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Sander's daughter accompanied her to one of these appointments and observed that the wound had not only worsened but was severely infected. Alarmed by this discovery, Sander sought further medical evaluation at Stanford Hospital on August 18, 2023. The hospital staff conducted various tests including blood tests and cultures which confirmed an infection in the wound. Consequently, Sander was treated with antibiotics but was informed that her wound would likely never heal.
In her lawsuit, Sander alleges that Dr. Anhalt's failure to properly treat her wound constitutes negligence and medical malpractice under California law. She claims that his incompetence has led to prolonged suffering and significant emotional distress. The complaint states: "As a direct and proximate result of the negligence of Defendants... Plaintiff suffered infections, low-grade fevers, pain from the wound itself... and other care procedures that have become an indefinite necessity in her life."
Sander is seeking monetary compensation for both economic and non-economic damages totaling no less than $350,000. This includes past and future medical costs as well as compensation for pain and suffering caused by what she describes as "ongoing incompetence" on part of Dr. Anhalt.
The plaintiff’s legal representation is provided by Joseph K. Bravo from Bravo Law Offices based in San Francisco. The case has been assigned Case Number 24CV445166.