Maine Woman Awarded $7.65M in Medical Malpractice Settlement

A Minot, Maine woman has been awarded $7.65 million in damages after a jury ruled that a Lewiston hospital technician failed to identify her cervical cancer.

Ruth Hricko filed the medical malpractice suit against Central Maine Medical Center in 2013. The lawsuit says Hricko underwent annual vaginal exams from 2008 to 2011.

The 63-year-old complained of pain, but her slides came back negative. Hricko’s attorney Owen Pickus says the technician didn’t properly read the slides.

Hricko had been suffering from cancer since 2008 and the disease progressed to stage 3 by 2011. Her cancer is now in remission. The award includes an additional $2 million for Hricko’s husband.