Man wants $1M in compensation for twisting his ankle

A man has filed a lawsuit against the American Memorial Park in the U.S. District Court for the NMI after he twisted his ankle while out at the park with his two sons back in 2019.

Yoon Suk Chang, through his lawyer, William Fritzgerald, filed the lawsuit last Dec. 7 against the American Memorial Park for an ankle injury he sustained back in 2019 that he allegedly underwent a medical operation for.

Chang, who is also a local business owner, is asking the federal court to award him damages in the amount of $1 million due to financial loss as a result of the injury and operation.

According to the lawsuit, back in Dec. 8, 2019, Chang and his two sons went to the park and played in the grassy area adjacent to the amphitheater.

Chang’s younger son started to go toward the parking lot away from the grassy area so the plaintiff followed him in order to stop him from going there. As he did so, he claims his foot was caught in a hole about a foot deep, causing him to fall violently to the ground, twisting his ankle.

The plaintiff allegedly stayed on the ground for about 15 minutes because he was dazed and almost passed out because of severe pain.

Following the fall, Chang said he did not go to the hospital and instead applied ice on his ankle and took an aspirin. By Dec. 10, 2019, the plaintiff said the pain was too intense and he went to Brothers Oriental Medicine Clinic, where they recommended he get an x-ray.

The lawsuit said that throughout January 2020, the pain in Chang’s ankle persisted and he visited the Commonwealth Health Center on numerous occasions and was ultimately referred to an orthopedic specialist on March 16, 2020.

A CHC doctor allegedly recommended that Chang have an MRI, but because of COVID-19, the hospital was unable to refer him to Guam.

With the pain persisting, Change decided to go to Korea at the beginning of June for treatment. While in Korea, the doctors were able to diagnose the problem with an MRI. On July 7, 2020, the doctors in Korea performed surgery on him.

“Plaintiff was in the hospital in Korea for five days and was unable to return to his family [on] Saipan until August, spending almost three months in Korea in preparation and post-surgery recuperation,” the lawsuit stated.

Chang has also been advised by the doctors in Korea that he may need additional surgery and perhaps an ankle replacement.

Meanwhile, due to the injury and his surgery, Chang said his construction business on Saipan had many projects left pending, causing him financial losses.

“Because of his ankle’s condition, and the fact that plaintiff was away from Saipan for almost three months, he suffered financial losses in his business,” the lawsuit said.