November 8, 2012
A settlement has been reached in the North Carolina Medical Malpractice lawsuit that was filed on behalf of a Lumber Bridge woman who died as the result of a botched surgical procedure.
The Fayetteville Observer reports that in 2005, the 56-year-old victim was admitted to a Fayetteville, North Carolina, hospital to undergo surgery to remove cancerous masses from her colon and rectum. Following the surgery, the doctor preforming the procedure left a large sponge inside the woman’s abdomen.
The sponge wasn’t discovered until nearly 10 weeks after the initial procedure and had already caused the victim to suffer illness and infection, requiring her to remain hospitalized for more than a year. These infections left the woman unable to receive the chemotherapy and radiation treatments for her cancer. She died in October 2006.
The North Carolina Medical Malpractice lawsuit that was filed two years later on the victim’s behalf alleged the doctor was negligent and provided inadequate care. The settlement states $5.1 million will be paid to the victim’s estate, while $750,000 will go directly to the woman’s husband. The doctor or her insurance company will also pay another $1 million in legal fees and interest.
The North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers with HensonFuerst Injury Lawyers believe doctors and medical staff have a responsibility to protect patients. That’s why the firm is here to answer any questions you may have if you have been harmed by a doctor.
