Paralyzed logger awarded $2.2 million in medical malpractice suit

When Pennsylvania residents need the help of a medical professional, they place a great amount of faith in that person. They trust that they will be healed or undergo a successful procedure that will aid in helping them return to good health. However, sometimes mistakes occur, and when they do, individuals who are injured may choose to file medical malpractice lawsuits.

One such recent medical malpractice lawsuit in another state resulted in a victim recovering over $2 million. A jury awarded the money in October to the victim as well as his wife, who is now his caretaker. The jurors found that the three doctors who were affiliated with a local hospital owed the man — who was a former logger—$2.2 million, because the doctors did not give the victim proper treatment while they were treating his spinal injury. This resulted in him becoming a paraplegic.

The man alleged that the doctors failed to give him an appropriate examination following an accident in 2012. Reportedly, a 500-pound tree fell on the man’s back while he was working. The man claims that he should have been given a CT scan rather than the x-ray that was taken even though he was experiencing too much pain to be able to lie down for it. As a result, the spinal fracture he suffered was not detected in the x-ray. According to an expert medical witness, the man could still be walking had the spinal fracture been diagnosed properly.

When a medical professional’s negligence results in a patient being injured, the victim may have grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Properly presented evidence of medical malpractice may compel a Pennsylvania civil court to award a judgment for monetary damages to cover the cost of past, present and future medical care, in addition to pain and suffering and other financial losses. Individuals who believe they are the victims of medical malpractice typically consult an experienced personal injury attorney to explore their legal options.