Medical malpractice lawsuits are notoriously complex and challenging. Injured patients, however, should receive the compensation they need for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages when a doctor’s negligence results in their injuries. Unfortunately, justice for med mal lawsuits isn’t always served. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), only 50% of trials in cases with strong evidence of medical negligence result in an award for the plaintiff.
If you’ve been injured by a doctor, it’s important to get in touch with a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. The earlier you do this, the better your chances are of receiving a successful outcome. While medical negligence claims are challenging, they are not impossible to win. Let’s take a look at three examples of recent successful medical malpractice lawsuits.
Tens of Millions Awarded in Compensation for Failed Diagnosis in Missouri
In January 2019, the Missouri Supreme Court decided unanimously that a former Mercy patient living with a rare disease was owed tens of millions from the hospital for the health system’s failure to diagnose her rare disorder in a timely manner.
Emilee Williams, 28, sued Mercy Clinic Springfield Communities and one of its employees, Dr. Elene Pilapil, in Greene County Circuit Court in July 2015. According to the lawsuit, Williams and her family tried to seek medical help for months from Pilapil starting in December 2012, to no avail. When she reported symptoms like balance problems and tremors, she was diagnosed with anxiety and depression.
In August 2013, after an MRI of Williams’ brain was taken, severe damage to her basal ganglia was detected—which was caused by Wilson’s disease. According to the lawsuit, “as a result of the delay in treatment and diagnosis of Emilee’s Wilson’s disease, she now suffers from severe Wilson’s disease and the sequela of Wilson’s disease, including but not limited to severe brain damage, tetraplegia, dysarthria, dystonia, dysphagia, severe motor and speech impairment, tremors, sporadic contracture of her extremities, and she has to be fed through a PEG tube.”
As a result, she was awarded $28.9 million for past and future economic and noneconomic damages in 2017. The hospital, however, appealed the verdict in 2018. In early 2019, the Missouri Supreme not only rejected the hospital’s appeal for a new trial, but calculations were made to award Williams even more in compensation for her losses.
$29 Million for Medical Negligence Awarded in Illinois
In 2008, Kevin Clanton, now 39, saw a nurse practitioner at an East St. Louis clinic run by the Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation after his high blood pressure resulted in a failed pre-employment physical exam. The nurse practitioner diagnosed him with obesity and hypertension and provided him with sample medication.
Clanton didn’t return to the facility or take his medication for more than two years until his condition worsened. Ultimately, he was diagnosed with Stage V chronic kidney disease in February 2013. In 2015, he filed a lawsuit for negligence and was awarded $29,962,296 in March 2017.
In response, the U.S. filed an appeal. In November 2019, however, a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals said that the nurse practitioner should have compared “Clanton’s understanding of his condition to that of a reasonable person in his situation.” The appeal did not change or affect the award.
Infant Brain Injury Case Settles for $6.5 Million in New Jersey
In February 2020, a Monmouth County judge approved a $6.5 million settlement in a medical malpractice case filed on behalf of an infant who sustained permanent injuries during hernia repair surgery.
According to case documents, the infant, Clara Roman, was born prematurely at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in April 2012. In July, she returned for repair of an inguinal hernia. A week after the surgery, however, her parents brought her to the emergency room for treatment of a recurrent bulge. She was intubated and prepped for emergency surgery.
As a result of being improperly intubated and not monitored properly during surgery, she sustained a brain injury leading to issues with motor control, seizures, vision, and learning. She and her family now reside in Colorado, where she receives therapy through her school system.
Seek Compensation for Your Injuries in Columbia
While successful medical malpractice cases can take years to settle and may face appeals, the compensation that’s awarded is usually significant enough to help a person recover as fully as possible and maintain that level of health.
If you’ve been injured by a doctor and are seeking legal guidance, look no further than Thomas Law Offices. Our law firm has experience handling medical malpractice lawsuits and claims, and we’re prepared to help you with yours. No matter how you were injured or what you’ve suffered and lost, we’ll fight on your behalf to ensure you receive full and fair compensation.
The sooner you get in touch with a lawyer, the better. Contact us today to schedule a case review. We’ll discuss what you’ve been through, determine what your legal rights and options are, and help you get on the path to recovery.
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