May 24, 2012
From the 1920’s all the way through the 1970’s, young women and men who were thought to be unfit to have children were sterilized by the state of North Carolina’s Eugenics Board. This past Tuesday, the victims of this atrocity moved one step closer to being compensated after the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would grant each of the 7,600 declared victims a $50,000 settlement.
According to WFAE News, there are approximately 2,000 living victims who are still suffering from the effects of sterilization, which could rack up a $10 million price tag; however, an almost unanimous vote in favor of the bill shows that most lawmakers believe it is a small price to pay to give the victims compensation. The bill’s sponsor stated that although the state cannot fix what has been done, “…we can pay compensation and we ought to do it so they can enjoy it before they die.”
Republican Ric Killian argued, “I just simply think it’s the wrong venue for what we’re trying to accomplish, and therefore I will also be voting against this.”
The bill must now pass through two more committees before going to the Senate for a vote.
This particular case of North Carolina Medical Malpractice is unprecedented, as those who committed these horrible acts were government officials. The North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers with HensonFuerst Injury Lawyers wish the victims the best of luck with their cases.