Block O’Toole & Murphy is pleased to announce that two of its attorneys have brokered a substantial $2.3 million settlement for medical negligence. The $2,300,000 settlement, the maximum available under the insurance policy, was used to purchase a structure that will compensate the plaintiff $18,074,933.08 over the course of his lifetime. The case was handled by S. Joseph Donahue and Jeffrey A. Block.
The settlement was awarded as a result of the pediatrician’s failure to diagnose Hirschsprung’s disease in the then one-year-old infant plaintiff. The infant’s symptoms included constipation, abdominal distention, diarrhea, feeding intolerance and vomiting over the first eight months of his life. Due to this failure to diagnose, the infant suffered a ruptured colon, forcing the child to have its entire large colon removed.
Hirschsprung’s disease is a condition where nerves are missing from a part of an individual’s bowel. Since muscle contractions move materials through the intestine, patients with this disease often experience a blockage of the large intestine. With a proper diagnosis, Hirschsprung’s disease can usually be fixed by a surgery that works to relieve pressure in the bowel. Most patients experience an improvement or total withdrawal of symptoms after this surgery.
Following surgery to remove his large colon, the plaintiff made a complete recovery and currently lives a full and active life, only requiring routine pediatric care.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries as a result of a doctor’s failure to diagnose, you may also have legal recourse to seek compensation for damages. To contact our New York medical malpractice lawyers for a no cost, no obligation review of your claim, complete the form on the right.