Cullan & Cullan Sets Record with $26.1M Medical Malpractice Verdict

OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cullan & Cullan, Doctors Practicing Law, has set a record for the highest medical malpractice verdict to be won in the state of Nebraska. The case concerned negligence at Children's Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha, from which an injured child was improperly discharged in 2017.

As reported by AP News, the child had suffered an accidental fall at daycare. She was promptly admitted to Children's Hospital for treatment. Instead of giving her the care she needed, and the parents the compassion they deserved, a doctor sent the child home early. Further, medical staff insensitively suggested the fall was rooted in physical abuse by a babysitter or the parents themselves. There was zero evidence to support these allegations.

Doctor-Lawyers Pat Cullan and Joe Cullan, plaintiff's attorneys in the case, took issue with the negligent discharge and the hospital staff's lack of compassion. As Joe told AP News, the suggestion of physical abuse was a twist of the knife.

"There was absolutely no evidence," Joe said to AP News in reference to the groundless suggestion of abuse.

Rather, all evidence pointed to an accidental fall: The child had been standing on a toy right when she fell.

Within 48 hours of the improper discharge, the child experienced severe seizures and brain trauma. These complications left her blind, unable to communicate, and in need of a wheelchair. She was only five years old at the time.

On November 29, 2021, a Sarpy County jury awarded the child compensation in the amount of $21.5 million to help her pay for a life of medical expenses and damages. Her parents were awarded $4.6 million for the damages incurred as they watched their child suffer the consequences of the hospital's negligence. Combined, the jury award sits at $26.1 million.

Pat and Joe have plans to fight back against any attempt by Children's Hospital to impose the state's $2.25 million cap for medical malpractice verdicts onto this case. They will go so far as to challenge the cap's constitutionality because, as Joe told AP News, "a lifetime of medical bills will far exceed the cap."

Cullan & Cullan, Doctors Practicing Law, is an award-winning law firm that boasts a team of lawyers who are also doctors. With offices in Omaha, Kansas City, and Phoenix, the firm has recovered millions of dollars for clients across the nation. Its doctor-lawyers share over 40 years of legal experience, which has armed them with the practical skills and knowledge needed to successfully litigate complex cases. Learn more about Cullan & Cullan's Omaha practice online at https://www.cullanlaw.com/.

SOURCE Cullan & Cullan