South Carolina Jury Awards $2.85 Million in Medical Malpractice Case

An Horry County jury awarded $2.85 million to a man severely injured in an automobile accident. The medical malpractice lawsuit was filed as a result of a surgeon’s negligence in delaying his surgery by ordering a CAT scan in spite of the fact that his vital signs were unstable. Randy Green who suffered severe injuries from an April 17, 2004, automobile accident, including severed arteries in his forearm – was taken to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center after the wreck for surgery to stop the bleeding in his arm. While Green was being prepared for surgery, Bauerle ordered a CAT scan of the patient’s knee, which also was injured in the accident. The 30-minute delay caused by the CAT scan led Green to suffer cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest, according to testimony at the trial. Although Green was resuscitated by an emergency room doctor and an anesthesiologist, the delay led to the death of a portion of Green’s spinal cord and his permanent paralysis from just above the waist down.

Holly Haines