$48 Million Jury Verdict for Improper Administration of Toradol

LaQuinta Murray experienced severe pain in her lower extremities. She was just 29 years old at the time. She was admitted to Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center with a diagnosis of sickle cell crisis, chronic anemia and strep throat. Dr. Mandip Arora ordered both opioid and non-opioid analgesics, as well as strict recording of Murray’s urine output.

Over the next four days, Murray was administered Toradol. She experienced critically high potassium levels and decreased urine output, but the nurses chose not to record this.

Murray then suffered renal failure, which led to fatal cardiac arrest. Murray had been a CNA. She was survived by her husband and minor child.

Murray’s husband, and on behalf of her estate and the couple’s minor child, sued the hospital, Dr. Arora and another treating physician, alleging negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.

The Murray family asserted that hospital staff administered Toradol more frequently than ordered in violation of the drug’s black box warning and that nurses chose not record Murray’s urine output. They also asserted that the staff failed to notify a doctor that she was experiencing signs of kidney failure, including a creatinine level of up to 4.6 mm per deciliter.

The Murray family also maintained that the hospital’s medication administration policy — including the giving of certain medications at the same time — was designed to ensure efficiency, not patient well-being. The family claimed lost income totaling $700,000.

Before trial, the Murray family settled with the physicians confidentially before trial. At the conclusion of the jury trial, the jury signed a verdict for $48 million including $32 million in punitive damages. The hospital staff was found to be 65% at fault.

The attorneys successfully handling this tragic case were David Creasy and Danial Laird.

Murray v. Valley Health Systems, LLC, No. A-14-699586 (Nev. Dist. Ct. Clark County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling hospital negligence lawsuits, nursing negligence lawsuits, birth trauma injury cases, cerebral palsy injury lawsuits, brain injury lawsuits and wrongful death cases for individuals, families and 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 Oak Lawn, Robbins, Calumet City, Lansing, Homewood, Olympia Fields, Oak Forest, Orland Hills, Mundelein, Frankfort, Beecher, Homer Glen, Elburn, Crystal Lake, Naperville, Oak Brook, Addison, Wood Dale, Itasca, Bensenville, Streamwood, South Barrington, Barrington Hills, Lincolnshire, Vernon Hills, Northbrook, Chicago (Uptown, Bronzeville, Streeterville, Old Town, Gold Coast, Noble Square, Ukrainian Village, West Town, Fulton Market, Greek Town, Little Italy, Printer’s Row, South Loop, East Pilsen, Chinatown, Armour Square, Bridgeport, Aldine Square, Douglas, Prairie Shores, Whiskey Row, Back of the Yards, Fuller Park, Grand Boulevard, Washington Park, Hyde Park, Wrigleyville, Englewood, Parkway Gardens, East Chatham, Avalon Park, Westchester Field, Washington Heights, Princeton Park), Evergreen Park, LaGrange, Blue Island and Dolton, Ill.