A woman who was left brain damaged and dependent on 24-hour care by hospital treatment was awarded $120 million by a Bronx jury on Friday. Jacqueline Martin, a 45-year-old mother of two, and her family received one of the largest awards ever issued for a medical malpractice suit in New York state, reported the New York Times. Martin suffered brain damage after being treated at three local hospitals in less than a month in February 2004.
In 2004, Jacqueline Martin was sent to three different medical facilities after experiencing a seizure. Doctors at those three hospitals initially failed to properly diagnose her illness. After she was poorly managed and given the wrong medications, the New York City woman developed a rare skin disorder called Steven-Johnsons Syndrome, suffering brain damage as a result. The lawsuit claimed that doctors and staff at Medical Center, Kings County Hospital Center, and Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, didn’t medicate her properly or act quickly enough to treat her.
Martin’s lawyer, Tom Moore, said:
“Medical personnel mismanaged Ms. Martin’s medications, failed to respond swiftly to crises and did not provide essential treatments. She developed swelling in her face, eyes and throat in an allergic reaction to anti-seizure medication.”
The mother of two still requires 24-hour care.
The law recognizes that people have the reasonable right to trust their medical professionals. When doctors, nurses, or other medical staff cause an injury or death because they were negligent, the Illinois court system protects the injured, or the families of wrongful death victims, by allowing them the right to seek reparation for damages. The courts grant this right in cases involving medical malpractice like the case above, as well as a broad range of others.
Cases where personal injury law applies include:
- Train accidents
- Vehicle accidents
- Airplane accidents
- Faulty products
- Faulty medication
- Premises liability
- Birth injury
- Truck accidents
If you or your loved one has been injured in incidents like the ones above, you have the right to seek legal support and justice. Our firm of Chicago wrongful death lawyers have 25 years of experience and proven results, so do not hesitate to bring any questions you have to us. Power Rogers has the determination and insight to make sure you receive the justice you deserve.