Defense counsel secures win in medical malpractice case

In a medical malpractice case where a woman sought damages following vision care from a St. Louis ophthalmologist, the defense counsel successfully argued the case resulting in no damages and a unanimous jury verdict.

The defendant, Dr. Geoffrey Hill and Hill Vision Services, was represented by Justin Hardin & Kahalah Clay of Brown & James in St. Louis.

The plaintiff, Heather Knight alleged headaches and worse vision after cataract surgery and subsequent follow up treatment and laser-based procedures.

Knight was represented by Justin Collins of the Collins Law Firm in St. Louis who did not respond to a request for comment.

Knight sought care from Hill Vision Services in 2023 after being diagnosed with a cataract by her optometrist, according to Hardin. Her vision at that time was 20/100 uncorrected, and she could only see 20/50 with correction. Her goal was to not need glasses after the surgery, leading her and Dr. Hill to make the decision to use an extended depth-of-focus intraocular lens.

Immediately after the surgery, Knight said she could see “perfectly.”

“During the surgery, though, Dr. Hill encountered zonular weakness and placed a capsular tension ring to secure the IOL,” according to Hardin. “Given the zonular weakness during surgery and Plaintiff’s family history of retinal detachment, Dr. Hill referred Plaintiff to a retina specialist for examination out of an abundance of caution.”

The retina exam was normal, but Knight said her vision began to worsen after it was conducted.

After following up with Hill, Knight underwent two additional procedures — YAG laser capsulotomy to address posterior capsular opacification and YAG laser vitreolysis to address a vitreous strand that was causing her pupil to peak and have the appearance of a cat’s pupil — Hardin explained.

These procedures did not cure Knight’s vision, and she reported “polyplopia (seeing multiple images), blurry vision, floaters, lines and increased headaches.”

“She continued to work, although she said her job was more difficult. She said she couldn’t drive and was having someone drive her to work. She was unable to watch TV or would have to put a TV really close to her face. She couldn’t do it normally,” Hardin said. “All three of her children testified, along with her husband, testified as to all of the things that they’ve had to rearrange their lives about because she has poor vision in her affected eye.”

Knight did not seek compensation for medical bills, instead asking only for damages for pain and suffering.

What helped Hardin secure a verdict for his client was Hill’s testimony that showed his experience and care for his patients as well as an expert witness who confirmed Hill’s treatment followed best practices.

In closing, Knight asked for $800,000 in non-economic damages. The jury returned a unanimous verdict for the defense.

Amount of verdict, judgment or settlement: Defense verdict

Type of action: Medical malpractice

Venue: St. Louis County Circuit Court

Case Number/Date: 24SL-CC02367 / 10/31/2025

Judge: Stanley J. Wallach

Plaintiffs’ Experts: Dr. Thomas Tyler

Defendants’ Experts: Dr. Divya Srikumaran

Injuries: Eye/vision

Caption: Heather Knight v. Hill Vision Services, et al.

Plaintiffs’ Attorneys: Justin Collins of the Collins Law Firm in St. Louis, MO (Town & Country)

Defendants’ Attorneys: Justin Hardin & Kahalah Clay of Brown & James in St. Louis, MO