Gothamist: Jury Awards $10.7 Million in Hospital Negligence Suit

NannyState

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:07:41 -0500

@ #3, That 71 yr old woman can never enjoy the simple pleasures of life, much less the money awarded her for this malpractice. If you had to pay for her upkeep as a partially paralized invalid, you would go broke in a week. The nasty part here is the fact that so many workplace injuries are minimized by the shitty Republican healthcare system so that Workman's Comp claims can be trimmed by HMO jerks. The suit was justified, and the award was also fully justified.It sent a message.

angry_pickle

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:30:39 -0500

You'll bet they'll appeal and just keep appealing They'll appeal until she dies from old age. From a operations point of view, I have heard that communication is the biggest problem in hospitals.

JacqueMehoff

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:01:33 -0500

you may be right, the ambulance who brought her in accessed her and relayed their info to the hospital. they can tell the ER that this is an urgent case and get to the front. drunks can wait.

ides_of_march

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:57:35 -0500

Just tack that 10 mil onto everyone's health insurance premiums. The unspoken issue in the health care debate is the need for tort reform. The trial lawyer lobby has Washington in its back pocket so don't hold your breath. That said, this woman possibly deserves some compensation but does it have to be a lotto jackpot, much of which goes to the vampire lawyers anyway?

halik007

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:53:26 -0500

Scary precedent - what if you have a hospital that's packed with injured people, rendering the ER understaffed or if you die in the ambulance. Is the ambulance liable that they couldn't get you in before something happens? Is the hospital liable every time someone dies?

Mr Mel

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:34:33 -0500

You'll bet they'll appeal and just keep appealing until they can get the settlement down to where they want it.