A St. Louis County Circuit Court jury recently awarded $1,017,000 to a Missouri woman who was the victim of medical malpractice during a routine operation. On February 19, 2000, Wendy Davison was undergoing gall bladder surgery when the attending physician, Dr. Thomas A. Schneider, mistakenly cut her bile duct. Davison was forced to have reconstructive surgery one month later to repair the damages. Health officials, however, informed the plaintiff that there was a 30 percent chance of failure in the reconstruction during the first five years. Davison filed suit against SSM St. Charles Clinic Medical Group Inc., Dr. Schneider's employer.