[QUAD-L] Big award to quad

[Lana Baugh]

I thought this information would be of interest to you all. A man with paraplegia was hospitalized in one of our local hospitals, St. Luke’s, with pneumonia. When he was taken down to X-ray he was unconscious. They propped him up and left him unattended during the x-ray. He fell off the table and broke his neck. He is now a high quad. The settlement was announced a couple of days ago- 5.7 million dollars. My husband and I discussed if this would be enough to provide care for him for the rest of his life. I asked my husband if some of the money could be placed in trust so it wouldn’t have to all go to care. So he could buy a home and have other benefits and he felt his attorney would probably do so (he is an attorney- and works for the P&A.)  We have a friend who had a child born with disabilities because the doctor chose to golf rather than deliver her baby. She almost died and her son was born blind and with very severe CP and multiple problems. They were awarded somewhere around 4 million. They had insurance. They started running out of money when he was ten. He lived until he was 18.    5.7 million sounds like a lot, but if you have to pay for all of your medical care out of it, it can be eaten up real quick. What do you guys think?   When Gabe was hospitalized at St lukes yesterday the first thing the nurse said when he got to his room was “we lower the bed all the way so it’s easier on our back and so you can’t fall.” We all know nurses like to keep beds high because of possible back stain. Gabe will be coming home today, just an over nighter to remove kidney stones.     Lana Gabe’s mom