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Prince George's County woman wins $18M in malpractice lawsuit
A Prince George’s County jury has just awarded a woman $18 million after she claimed a local hospital’s lack of action caused her to lose her leg. FOX 5’s Sydney Persing has her story.
PRINCE GEORGE'S CO., Md. - A Prince George’s County jury has just awarded a woman $18 million after she claimed a local hospital’s lack of action caused her to lose her leg.
Jamie White’s story is nothing short of heartbreaking. After a simple fall on ice, she ended up having an amputation, which she says was all due to the negligence of the hospital.
What happened:
In 2020, at just 23 years old, White was a bright, thriving young woman. But one day, as she was walking to work, she slipped on ice and fell, dislocating her knee. She was taken to the Prince George’s Hospital Center after her fall.
She suffered a dislocated knee, which can cause vascular injuries that threaten limbs if not immediately treated.
In a nearly five-week-long trial, her attorneys alleged that not one, but two of White’s surgeries were delayed by caregivers for hours, causing oxygen deprivation to her leg.
White, a mother of two, says she underwent nearly 30 surgeries over eight months to try to save it, but eventually it had to be amputated above the knee.
"You wake up regular one day, and then all of a sudden, one day, it all comes spiraling down," she said. "It was hard. I didn’t plan this. I didn’t know that it was going to happen, and it was very unfortunate."
Big picture view:
Speaking to FOX 5, White says what she’s focused on now, with this trial behind her. She says her kids are what are keeping her going right now.
"I also know when they do get older, they’ll see how resilient their mom is," White said.
Her attorney, Karen Evans with the Cochran Firm, says everyone should care about her case because none of us know when we’ll be injured, or where we’ll be taken.
She says the verdict means something significant for folks in Prince George’s County.
"The standard of care should be the same, no matter where you get care. If you go to Prince George’s Hospital, you should still be entitled to the same care you’d get at suburban hospital, that you’d get at Johns Hopkins Hospital. There is no lower standard of care for the residents of Prince George’s County," attorney Evanss said.
What they're saying:
In a statement to FOX 5, the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center said, "Despite the jury’s verdict, [it’s] grateful for the opportunity to defend the care its providers rendered to the plaintiff. While we are sensitive to the fact that Ms. White suffered a significant injury, we strongly believe the evidence clearly showed that Ms. White was treated in a very timely manner and the care rendered to her was excellent."
Under Maryland law, there is a cap on medical malpractice recovery for non-economic damages, meaning how much a jury awards for pain and suffering, so the actual number White will collect is closer to $4.5 million.