Berman & Simmons Attorneys Secure Record $23.1 Million Medical Malpractice Verdict in Maine

Berman & Simmons attorneys Travis Brennan and Chuck Hehmeyer secured the largest non-death medical malpractice verdict in Maine history for a man left permanently paralyzed due to medical negligence.

CARIBOU, Maine, June 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Maine law firm Berman & Simmons announced that Attorneys Travis M. Brennan and Charles P. Hehmeyer secured a $23.1 million medical malpractice jury verdict in Aroostook County Superior Court. This is the largest non-death medical malpractice award in Maine's history and the largest medical malpractice verdict of any kind north of Portland.

After nearly two weeks of trial, testimony by thirteen expert witnesses, and approximately three hours of deliberation, on June 18, 2026, the jury found Northern Light AR Gould Hospital and Northern Light Health negligent for plaintiff Robert Giordano's permanent paralysis. The record damages will cover his extraordinary past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress,  permanent impairment, and loss of consortium.

"The jury's verdict provided validation for our client that this tragic situation never should have happened," Attorney Brennan told the Bangor Daily News in an interview about the record-setting case result. "Northern Light first missed a dangerous finding on Robert's imaging study and failed to follow its own internal policies on reporting this critical finding. Next, Northern Light providers dismissed Robert when he sought help for new and alarming symptoms. This verdict will allow Robert to secure the vital medical equipment, supplies, and services that he requires to deal with the devastating and permanent injuries he suffered."

The case arose from the negligent medical care of Mr. Giordano, a 40-year-old Madawaska man who presented to the emergency room at Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital in Presque Isle in December 2020 after a fall. Although a CT scan was performed, the radiologist failed to identify a large, bony calcification that had invaded Giordano's spinal canal and raised concern for spinal cord compression. Giordano was discharged with no knowledge that he had a ticking time bomb in his spine.

Over the following six weeks, Giordano's neurological symptoms progressively worsened. When he returned to his primary care provider the day before he was paralyzed and reported that he could no longer stand without falling, the provider dismissed his symptoms as an attempt to obtain pain medication and diagnosed him with chronic pain. An orthopedic specialist who saw Giordano that same day failed to recognize his symptoms were concerning for a neurologic emergency and failed to instruct Giordano to immediately go to the emergency department for evaluation.

"As the patient developed progressive neurologic deficits over the next six weeks, people were unaware that he had this ticking time bomb in his spine. It then detonated on Jan. 30, with him becoming fully and permanently paralyzed," Attorney Brennan explained.

The following day, Giordano called 911. He was transported by ambulance to Cary Medical Center and then airlifted to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where an MRI confirmed that the large, bony calcification was compressing his spinal cord. Two surgeries performed over successive days failed to restore function. Giordano remains permanently paralyzed from the chest down, without bladder or bowel function, and faces ongoing medical care for the remainder of his life.

About Berman & Simmons

Berman & Simmons (www.bermansimmons.com) is Maine's leading personal injury and medical malpractice law firm, with a rich heritage dating back to 1914. Our team of 12 attorneys and 40+ legal professionals handles a wide range of cases involving vehicle and trucking accidents, medical malpractice, wrongful death, defective products, sexual abuse, and other serious injuries. The firm is part of a coalition of four prominent law firms assembled to represent victims and their families associated with the mass shooting in Lewiston, ME, in 2023.

We are proud of our ability to take on the most significant and complex cases and our involvement in matters of social importance. With fierce determination, we represent the people of Maine against the toughest opponents, including insurance companies, medical establishments, government entities, and long-standing institutions—and we win. 

Media Contact:

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SOURCE Berman & Simmons, P.A.