Ohio Oral Surgeon Faces Second Lawsuit

The Chronicle-Telegram reports a retired Lorain, Ohio oral surgeon is being sued for an undisclosed amount by a patient who claims she “was injured and was caused to suffer seizures, neurological damage and other severe and debilitating injuries, some of which were permanent in nature,” during treatment in Dec. 2010.

According to the article, a motion attached to the lawsuit seeks a 90-day enlargement of time to file an affidavit of merit, stating “there is strong reason to believe a cause of action exists” against the surgeon and unnamed nurses, dental assistants and/or health care professionals that the suit lists as defendants.

The physician had previously been sued when a 13-year-old patient died after receiving sedation prior to oral surgery in December 2010.  The doctor’s insurance company paid $1 million to the family of the deceased girl, and the 81-year-old physician stopped giving intravenous sedation and agreed to retire in September.  […]

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PA Jury Awards Over $11 Million to Plane Crash Victims

A Philadelphia, PA jury awarded two victims of a 2009 plane crash, who suffered significant, permanent injuries, over $11 million in damages. The pilot and her passenger both sustained third-degree burns over 35 percent of their bodies.

The lawsuit alleged the Cessna 337 Skymaster twin-engine aircraft in which they were flying crashed shortly after takeoff due to “ineffective inspections and maintenance.”  The plane crashed into a water treatment plant in Georgia after losing power in one of its engines. The second engine could not handle the extra load due to problems to it as well.

The pilot’s injuries have prevented her from returning to work as an airline pilot.  She was awarded $6.458 million, which was reduced by 20 percent because of her attributable negligence, according to the court docket.

The passenger, who was a doctor, has been able to return to his work performing cancer dermatological surgeries.  […]

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NJ Man Awarded $4 Million in Overdose of Drug at Party

A New Jersey man has been awarded more than $4 million after he suffered permanent nerve damage when he took the drug Xanax that was obtained illegally from a Ridgewood, NJ pharmacy. The drug was given to him at a 2007 party by a former employee of the pharmacy.

According to NJ.com, the lawsuit was filed against the pharmacy, several guests of the party where the then 17-year-old was given the drug, the party’s host, and the host’s mother. The drug was stolen from the pharmacy.

After the man took the drug he fell into a coma.  However, the guests did not call 911 and waited a while before finally driving him to the hospital.  The man’s nerve damage has impaired his ability to walk and talk, and he is now homebound trying to recuperate.  According to his lawyer, he has been declared incompetent.

The pharmacy was sued for not taking proper precautions to avoid the theft of drugs. […]

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Florida Utility Companies to Pay Florida Man Injured by Fallen Utility Pole

A Daytona Beach, FL jury has awarded a Florida man $960,000 in damages after he suffered a severe back injury when a utility pole fell on his SUV in 2005.  The utility pole owned by Florida Power & Light (FPL) was found to be rotten after it snapped under the strain of the tug on a low-hanging cable wire by the top of a truck.

The lawsuit alleged the pole that fell on the man’s car was over 50 years old; however, FPL claims the poles are inspected every six years.  Cable communications provider Bright House Networks also uses the poles, and a Bright House cable was what snared the truck.

The lawsuit claimed FPL did not inform Bright House of “changes to the hardware — including a heavy conductor that was added — when a new replacement pole was lashed to it.”  The jury found FPL  45 percent at fault for the accident, […]

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Segway to Pay $10 Million to Connecticut Man

A Connecticut man was awarded $10 million in a lawsuit against Segway Inc. after the man fell from a Segway he was riding in Sept. 2009 and suffered a traumatic brain injury.  Lawyers for the man claimed Segway staff should have supplied the man with a helmet.

The then 23-year-old man was riding in “the Segway Challenge” during a fundraising event at Southern Connecticut State University for the Special Olympics.  The man rode the obstacle course, that was set up by Segway employees, with a blindfold on. He fell backwards off the Segway, hitting his head on the floor.

Segway employees are asked to wear helmets, however, the employees did not have any helmets available for those participating in the event.  The man’s lawyer claimed that as a result of his brain injury, the accident victim had to drop out of college and has not been able to pursue his dream of becoming a police officer.  […]

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