Medical malpractice in a hospital setting can result in injuries that can have a lasting impact on the life of the victim, and this in turn means that even if a medical malpractice lawsuit does not go all the way through trial to a jury award, a plaintiff can still receive a substantial sum of money as compensation through settlement.
Two recent medical malpractice claims that have been settled by Ohio State University provide examples of how even settlements can run into seven figures. One was a claim for medical malpractice and wrongful death arising from alleged misdiagnosis of a brain condition, which the university settled for $1.7 million; the other was a $1.4 million settlement of a medical malpractice claim based on the allegation that negligence in allowing an air bubble to develop in catheter tubing during surgery resulted in the patient suffering an embolism that in turn led to serious consequences including heart attacks and strokes.
Although the university did not admit to wrongdoing in either settlement, and neither claim reached the point where it went to trial, the significant amount of the court-approved settlements indicates that a well-prepared claim for medical malpractice can still be successful in generating a meaningful resolution for the victim.
Note that the two settlements above are unique to their own facts and circumstances, and if you believe that you have been the victim of medical malpractice you should not expect the same settlement results. Every medical malpractice complaint must be investigated and prepared based on its own merits, which a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney can help you with.
Source: The Columbus Dispatch, “Ohio State settles two medical lawsuits for $3.4 million,” Randy Ludlow, Nov. 2, 2015