Sumter County Jury Awards $12 Million in Wrongful Death Case Following Three Hospital Visits

A Sumter County jury returned a $12 million verdict in a wrongful death case involving a woman whose family sought medical care at the same local hospital three times as her condition continued to worsen. Despite the family’s repeated efforts to obtain help, they were ultimately instructed to take her to another hospital, where doctors determined that she was critically ill.

Case Highlights

• The woman, who had Down syndrome, was initially taken to a local hospital for what was believed to be a bladder infection and anemia. Her family was instructed to bring her back if her condition did not improve.
• Her family returned to the hospital twice as her condition deteriorated. During the third visit, she was unresponsive, and the family repeatedly asked for someone to evaluate her before being told to take her to another hospital.
• After arriving at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, doctors determined that she had a staph infection in her bloodstream and dangerously abnormal blood levels. She died several days later, and a Sumter County jury subsequently returned a $12 million verdict.

Case Analysis

The case arose from the medical care provided to a woman with Down syndrome after she became ill in January 2023. On January 31, 2023, her family took her to a local hospital because she was experiencing symptoms believed to be related to a bladder infection and anemia. She received treatment, and her family was told to return if she did not improve.

When her condition failed to improve, the family followed those instructions and returned to the hospital. As her health continued to deteriorate, they brought her back for a third visit. By that time, she had become unresponsive.

According to evidence presented in the case, the family continued asking for someone to evaluate their loved one while they waited for medical assistance. Rather than receiving further treatment at that facility, the family was eventually instructed to take her to another hospital.

The family placed her in their vehicle and drove her to DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa. When she arrived, doctors determined that she was critically ill and suffering from a staph infection that had entered her bloodstream. Her blood levels were dangerously abnormal, and she was taken directly to trauma care.

Despite the treatment she received at DCH, she died on February 6, 2023.

Attorney Gerald Brooks represented the family and presented the circumstances surrounding their repeated attempts to obtain medical care. The evidence showed that the family sought help, followed the instructions they were given and returned as their loved one’s condition became increasingly serious.

Case Outcome & Impact

After hearing the evidence, the Sumter County jury returned a $12 million verdict.

Although no financial award can bring the family’s loved one back, the verdict represents accountability and publicly recognizes the value of her life. It also underscores the importance of ensuring that every patient’s condition is taken seriously, regardless of where the patient lives or whether the patient has a disability.

The result sends a powerful message about the standard of care patients and families should be able to expect when seeking emergency medical attention. Families who follow medical instructions and return for help as a loved one’s condition worsens should not be left wondering whether their concerns were adequately evaluated.

For Serious Injury Law Group, the verdict reflects the firm’s commitment to standing beside families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives and pursuing accountability when failures in medical care result in devastating consequences.

Additional Case Information

Lead Counsel and Managing Partner Gerald C. Brooks represented the family in this case and Second Chair counsel Cole Leonburg.

If you believe that negligent medical care contributed to the serious injury or death of someone you love, Serious Injury Law Group can help you understand your legal options. Learn more about our medical malpractice practice and wrongful death representation, or contact our legal team to request a confidential consultation.