The highest medical malpractice settlement is $101 million in Chicago. The boy’s mother sued for medical malpractice and received a record settlement. The jury agreed to reduce the award to $50 million after the hospital admitted its fault. But this award remains the highest ever paid for medical malpractice. What are the circumstances that lead to such a large settlement? Read on to find out. In the past, a boy was awarded $53 million for brain injuries. This case was a landmark decision.
In 2011, a mother from Florida received too much pain medication during childbirth, compromising her child’s oxygen supply and resulting in cerebral palsy. Her case settled fourteen years later. The plaintiff’s settlement was limited by a cap on medical malpractice awards in Florida, where she lived. However, other states have no such caps. This is why the highest medical malpractice settlements are not yet publicized. And while these cases may be rare, they do happen.
Medical malpractice settlements vary by county in Maryland. In 2018, the median verdict award was $54,521 while in 2017, the median jury award was $7,708,064. This figure is more stable than the overall payout and changed over time. It is important to remember that the average verdict award varies from settlement awards and is not collectible in every case. Moreover, many states have caps on the non-economic damages awarded in medical malpractice cases.
The largest medical malpractice settlement in Illinois was $2 million in A.S. v. Hospital and Emergency Medicine Group at Suburban Chicago Hospital. The patient suffered from ectopic pregnancy and had three surgeries. The hospital was found liable for failing to diagnose her condition and improperly treat her. Fortunately, the patient was able to recover the money she had lost and still receive a decent payout. Aside from the average award, this case teaches us that the highest medical malpractice settlements are not necessarily the highest.
In another case, Tiffany Applewhite was awarded $172 million. The jury found that the paramedics who administered her steroids gave her poor advice. After receiving a steroid injection, Applewhite was in a state of anaphylactic shock and her heart stopped beating. Despite Tiffany’s mother’s efforts, the paramedics advised her to wait for an ambulance with the appropriate life support equipment. Fortunately, an ambulance came quickly and provided care.
Another example of a case where doctors failed to recognize the symptoms of stroke occurred in the late 1990s. The doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center misdiagnosed him with a sinus infection. In spite of the error, the patient was put in a medically-induced coma for a month. Later, a second doctor treated him for bile duct stones. The doctors’ mistake resulted in catastrophic brain damage.
