Medical Negligence Law Firm – Troy Stafford Verdicts & Settlements
Paralyzed Patient Recovers $500,000 For Delayed Treatment Of Neck Fractures
Medical Malpractice – ER Delayed Treating Neck Fractures, Pain – Paralysis – $500,000 Mediated Settlement
Type of Action: Medical malpractice
Injuries Alleged: n/a
Name of Case: Confidential
Court/County: Cleveland
Case No.: Confidential
Tried Before: Mediation
Name of mediator: Charlie Tompkins
Special Damages: n/a
Verdict/Settlement: Settlement
Amount: $500,000
Settlement Date: December 2003
Demand: n/a
Offer: n/a
Experts: n/a
Insurer: n/a
Plaintiff’s Attorney: Troy J. Stafford
Person Submitting: Della Stafford
Description: Plaintiff fell off of his tractor and was taken to the emergency room via ambulance. X-rays of his neck taken in the ER were interpreted as negative. He was admitted for observation. The next day, he was still complaining of pain so a CT scan was obtained. It showed that he had several neck fractures. He was placed in a hard collar but was not seen by a neurosurgeon. The attending physician later removed the hard collar because the plaintiff said it was uncomfortable. Plaintiff was later gotten up out bed and even taken to physical therapy. He remained hospitalized and continued to complain of severe neck pain. On the fourth day of admission, he lost movement and sensation in his extremities. He was transferred to Charlotte via helicopter and surgery was finally performed on his neck. However, it was too late and the neurosurgeon could not preserve any function. He remained paralyzed.
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