The personal injury law firm of Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP recently reached a verdict that gave $4,250,000 in compensation to a woman paralyzed by medical malpractice. The case result made the first page of VerdictSearch, which detailed the case and the struggles experienced by the girl.
In 2003, the then-fifteen-year-old girl was on vacation in Hawaii when she developed a face rash, unsteadiness, and slurred speech. She was taken to Kapiolani Medical Center in Honolulu, where she was diagnosed with lupus and was administered regular steroid doses to combat the condition. However, complications with the steroid doses caused the child to be paralyzed from the neck down because of steroid-induced myopathy.
While the child’s family won the case in 2009, a decision by the Supreme Court of Hawaii stated that some evidence was admitted in error, causing a new trial to be ordered.
The second trial, lead by Philip Russotti of WRSH, showed that the hospital’s pediatric rheumatologist administered steroid doses that were far too great, to the point of being “virtually unknown in the medical community.” The effects of paralyzation led to continued complications for the victim, threatening her life multiple times and causing many different infections. While she recovered some physical capabilities, she still requires a wheelchair.
The jury found that the victim and her family were entitled to $4.25 million in compensation for the damages suffered. This was comprised of $1 million for loss of enjoyment of life, $2 million for special damages, $200,000 for pain and suffering, and $1 million for emotional damages, along with $25,000 for each of the victim’s parents.
The compensation will help the victims pay for past losses and continued care in order to cope with the woman’s losses.
At Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, our medical malpractice lawyers are dedicated to helping people who have been seriously harmed by medical malpractice. If you or a loved one is coping with such damage, do not wait to call us at (212) 986-7353 and receive a free consultation that helps you make the right decisions in your recovery.