For many Baltimore residents, there is nothing more valuable to them then their personal health. The thought of being sick or injured is enough to strike fear in many individuals, particularly those who have had some personal experience with serious personal injury, whether it be suffering a personal injury themselves or watching loved ones go through the pain and suffering.
Fortunately, individuals may obtain some form of relief if the injury occurred at the hands of another person's negligence. Through a personal injury lawsuit, individuals can be awarded different types of damages to compensate them for their losses.
For instance, one man recently was awarded $6.7 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit against a doctor, based on surgeon negligence. During a hernia operation, the man's small intestine was punctured by the surgeon, who apparently knew the intestine was penetrated during the surgery, but did not think it was serious enough to cause a leak.
Instead, the man's condition continued to worsen after the procedure, until the leak was eventually found and repaired. Ultimately, the man was bedridden in intensive care for months, after which he had to endure several more surgeries. Also, as a result of his illness, the man lost his job and his wife quit her job in order to care for him.
The case illustrates how, in a medical malpractice case, different types of considerations play into the damages calculation. For example, not only may individuals recover damages based on the medical expenses they incur, but also compensation for their pain and suffering, disfigurement and mental anguish. Moreover, individuals may also recover damages based on the effects the personal injury has on their professional life, including damages for lost wages and lost earning capacity. While nothing can replace what was taken from the person through the injury, these damages can help the person get some relief.
