Medical Malpractice Case Won by Connecticut Woman

A woman was recently awarded a $12 million jury verdict in a case against a hospital that she says turned a relatively innocuous surgery into a lifelong health condition. The Connecticut woman sued both the doctor and the hospital for medical malpractice after a hernia surgery ended with her struggling to deal with a perforated colon for the rest of her life. The award was handed out on May 30, after only three and a half hours of deliberation.

According to the claim, the operation in 2008 was botched by a medical resident without the knowledge of the attending doctors. The hernia surgery was proceeding as planned when the resident apparently punctured the woman’s colon, sending her into a month-long coma as the result of a serious infection. Doctors said they didn’t realize the error had been made until the surgery was complete and the infection had already set in.

Since then, the woman has had to undergo several significant treatments including the removal of most of her large intestine. The effects of these treatments will influence her for the rest of her life, causing pain and distress. She successfully sued for a $12 million verdict for pain and suffering, medical bills and court fees.

It is important for Connecticut residents to remember that medical malpractice is about more than just the monetary settlement. While it is undeniable that those who suffer botched treatments are often in need of financial assistance to help them deal with their suffering, demanding accountability from the medical community is also of paramount importance. In forcing the community to adhere to strict standards of conduct, suits like these can help prevent accidents like this from happening in the future.

Source: nhregister.com, “Connecticut woman wins $12M in malpractice case“, May 30, 2014