Maryland Hospital Malpractice Lawsuit Results in $1.3M Verdict

Two teen boys who lost their mother during surgery at a Baltimore City hospital due to medical negligence, were awarded $1.3 million last week by a Maryland jury.

The jury found that Union Memorial Hospital was liable for the death of Erica Goodman, who was 34 years old when she died in November 2005. According to a report in the Maryland Daily Record, Goodman went into cardiac arrest during a medical procedure to insert a blood clot filter, which the family claimed occurred when the vein and aorta were pierced.

In their hospital malpractice lawsuit, the family alleged that the surgery was unnecessary for her condition, which they argued could have been treated with medication. The jury found that Dr. Mojtaba Gashti, who was not a named defendant in the lawsuit, failed to adhere to the accepted standards of medical care.

Following a one week trial, the Baltimore City Circuit Court jury awarded Goodman’s two sons, ages 14 and 11, $467,000 for loss of the household services of their mother and $400,000 each for their loss and suffering. Goodman’s estate was also awarded $100,00 for her conscious pain and suffering before death.

As a result of the damages cap in Maryland malpractice lawsuits, the non-economic damages portion of the award is expected to be reduced to $812,500, bringing the total judgment to $1,279,500.