7 Most Famous Medical Malpractice Cases in the United States

Medical malpractice refers to the injury a patient sustains due to the negligence of a health professional. Unfortunately, this is an all too familiar occurrence in the U.S.

The five most common medical malpractice lawsuits:

  • Misdiagnosis of an illness
  • Surgical errors
  • Failure to treat
  • Birth injuries
  • Prescription drug errors

There have been a number of famous malpractice lawsuits in the U.S., which resulted in multimillion-dollar malpractice settlements. The top 7:

1. An elderly Arizona man was living in an assisted living facility on life support. While he lay in a vegetative state, employees tampered with the man’s body. During an autopsy, it was discovered that ketchup packets and candy wrappers among other things were found in his stomach. This resulted in an $11 million settlement.

2. A Wisconsin woman used a midwife and nurse to deliver her baby. Because they misread the monitor, the nurse and midwife failed to realize the baby was in distress. The child was born with cerebral palsy due to birth injuries. This ended in an $11.4 million judgment.

3. A New York woman was misdiagnosed by her doctor when she was told that the lump she found in her chest was benign. Upon further review, the lump was found to be cancerous and had also grown significantly. Due to the error, she was forced to have a mastectomy and undergo several rounds of chemotherapy. She received $15 million.

4. A doctor in Pennsylvania was sued and found negligent after his patient accused him of malpractice resulting in birth injuries to the child. The baby has cerebral palsy and is partially blind. The woman won a $2 million judgment and the son $18 million payable when he turns 18.

5. A $23.2 million judgment was awarded to the family of a baby who suffered oxygen deprivation during birth. The lack of oxygen caused hypoxia leading to seizures, quadriplegia, and cerebral palsy.

6. A misdiagnosed heart condition resulted in a cardiologist being sued for negligence. The patient was told that his condition no longer required the use of heart medications. He was taken off and told to use over-the-counter medicines. A few months later, he suffered a near-fatal heart attack and now requires a heart transplant. The patient received $25 million.

7. An ethics violation resulted in a man suffering a stroke. The Florida patient came to the doctor because he was suffering from leg and shoulder cramps. The doctor’s unorthodox suggestion of anesthesia combined with joint manipulation resulted in a four-year coma. In court, the doctor was forced to admit that the procedure was not helpful and he only ordered it to gain more money. The patient was awarded $35 million.

The Zayed Law Offices in Joliet, IL handles medical malpractice claims. They have secured millions of dollars in settlements for patients who have suffered from negligence. If you need a medical malpractice lawyer in Joliet, IL call Zayed Law Offices today for a free consultation.