Medical malpractice case results in multi-million dollar award

Every winter, thousands of people flock to their doctor’s office with the dreaded winter cold. Many of these people complain of a sore throat and get tested for strep throat. While the test for the bacteria that causes this illness is uncomfortable, many people in Maryland do not realize the true hazard of leaving such an ailment untreated. The dangers of doing so have been brought to light after an out-of-state medical malpractice case resulted in a $25 million award.

A 53-year-old woman claims that two doctors were unable to detect the strep bacteria to which she had fallen victim. As a result, she and her husband claim she went into septic shock. All four of her limbs had to be amputated as a result.

In a recent court case, the woman and her husband claimed that her amputations were caused by negligence on the part of two doctors. A Wisconsin jury recently agreed with her and awarded $25 million to her and her husband, including $15 million for her pain and suffering and $1.5 million to her husband. However, Wisconsin lawmakers recently voted in a $750,000 cap on non-economic damages. As a result, the case will likely be appealed, challenging the state’s recent laws putting the cap in place.

As tough and miraculous as the human body seems to be, it is sometimes amazing the havoc a seemingly simple bacteria can cause. As a result, it is imperative that medical care providers look at all possibilities when presented with a sick patient. In this case, a woman’s life, as well as that of her family’s, has been drastically altered as a result of medical malpractice. For Maryland patients who have found themselves in a similar situation, legal recourse is available. By taking their case to a civil court, they could receive relief for some of the financial implications of such negligence.

Source: wtaq.com, “Lawsuit will test Wisconsin’s medical malpractice limits”, , July 8, 2014