$1.12 Million Jury Verdict for the Wrongful Death Caused by the Failure to Diagnose Meningitis

Mary Stevenson was 55 years old when she was taken to the hospital suffering from a severe headache and shortness of breath. At the hospital, she was diagnosed as having hypertension; a doctor prescribed blood pressure medication. She also underwent blood work before being discharged to her home.

Within hours of her discharge, she began to experience seizures and vomiting. She was rushed to another hospital where she was diagnosed as having bacterial meningitis. She lost consciousness and died just two weeks later. She is survived by her two adult children.

One of Stevenson’s daughters, individually and on behalf of her estate, sued two doctors who treated her at the first hospital maintaining that they chose not to diagnose and treat bacterial meningitis.

The Stevenson family charged that the doctors should have ordered a spinal tap and should have kept her hospitalized until her blood test results were available. As it turns out, after her discharge the blood test results indicated streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. The lawsuit did not claim lost earnings.

The jury returned a verdict of more than $1.12 million. The presiding trial court judge denied the defendants’ post-trial motions for a new trial and judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV). According to the report of this case, there is an appeal pending.

The attorneys successfully handling this lawsuit for the Stevenson family were Andrew Neely and Eric Tracener.

At trial, the Stevenson family presented experts in infectious disease and emergency medicine.

Stevenson v. Clarksdale HMA, LLC, No. 14-CI-15-0068 (Miss. Cir. Ct. Coahoma County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling medical malpractice lawsuits, wrongful death lawsuits, nursing home abuse and negligent lawsuits, birth injury cases, hospital negligence lawsuits and labor and delivery negligence lawsuits for individuals, families and their loved ones who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Barrington, Bellwood, Melrose Park, Homewood, Hillside, Rolling Meadows, Grayslake, Gurnee, Waukegan, Joliet, Aurora, St. Charles, Hinsdale, Vernon Hills, Chicago (Rogers Park, Garfield Park, Beverly, Roscoe Village, Pullman, Lake Calumet, South Chicago, East Side, Washington Park, Lincoln Square, Irving Park), Lincolnshire, Morton Grove and Des Plaines, Ill.