A surgery error that occurred back in 2008 led to a lawsuit filed against a hospital. Mistakes can lead to a number of hospital negligence claims filed in Illinois and throughout our country. A woman filed a lawsuit claiming hospital negligence after a routine hernia procedure caused her colon to be punctured. She was left with injuries that are permanent, and recently, a jury awarded her $12 million.
A physician reportedly made an error during surgery that resulted in the woman being sent into a coma. She also had to undergo a series of other surgeries and had a large infection in her abdominal area. Reportedly, the physicians were not aware that a mistake was done to her colon until after her wound was already sealed up. After she encountered an infection in her abdomen, she experienced possible life-threatening outcomes.
Her body went into shock and she suffered from a heart attack. According to the suit, the woman currently cannot digest food in the proper manner, and she still has complications with her abdominal area. The jury found in favor of the plaintiff and handed down a monetary award.
Hospital negligence can cause a significant amount of injuries and sometimes death. When the injuries are permanent, it can cause someone to experience loss of enjoyment in life and obstruction of movement. The woman presented strong evidence that convinced a jury to award her damages. Illinois residents who have suffered injuries at the hands of a medical professional may have the right to file medical malpractice claims against the physician and/or hospital for the recovery of damages.
Source: insurancejournal.com, “Connecticut Hospital Ordered to Pay $12M in Medical Malpractice Case“, Dave Collins, June 2, 2014