$1.9 Million Medical Malpractice Settlement

category: Medical Malpractice

$1.9 Million Medical Malpractice Settlement

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$1.9 Million Medical Malpractice Settlement. A 36-year-old security guard was paralyzed because a spinal epidural abscess was not timely diagnosed. Though fairly rare, the classic symptoms of this condition were clear when he first went to the emergency room. He was nevertheless sent home with a diagnosis of back pain. When his pain worsened he went to a different emergency room when an MRI was ordered at a third facility. Unfortunately, the MRI report which was faxed to the ER doctor was lost and this was acknowledged only when the family called for the results. A second report was faxed to the hospital but no nurse bothered to read the report or even show it to a doctor. When the plaintiff’s condition worsened he went to the hospital but the staff could not find the MRI report, his chart, or a doctor to examine him. The plaintiff went to the ER three times but no treatment was provided. About 30 hours later the spinal epidural abscess had spread to the extent that the plaintiff became a paraplegic. A few hours later he went into a coma. After enduring a coma for two days he ultimately became a quadriplegic. He remained on a ventilator for four months and was hospitalized for 9 months. He requires significant home care and will not ever be able to function independently. This case was mediated and eventually settled for $1,900,000.00.