Tulsa County Jury Awards $15 Million In Malpractice Case
- mike33692
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Tulsa County Jury Awards $15 Million In Pediatric Malpractice Case
A Tulsa County jury has awarded $15 million to a young Oklahoma girl who suffered catastrophic and permanent brain injuries after doctors allegedly failed to properly diagnose and treat a bacterial infection during multiple emergency room visits as an infant.
The landmark Tulsa County medical malpractice case centered around 7-year-old August Montgomery, who attorneys argued suffered preventable brain damage after a pediatric emergency room physician discharged her without ordering critical follow-up testing or administering antibiotics.
According to court testimony presented during the six-day trial, August was taken to a Tulsa-area emergency room in December 2018 suffering from fever, vomiting, lethargy, respiratory symptoms, and decreased urine output.
It marked her third hospital visit within five days.
Tulsa County Medical Malpractice Trial Focused On Missed Infection Signs
Attorneys representing the Montgomery family argued during the Tulsa County medical malpractice trial that laboratory results showed clear warning signs of bacterial infection.
Despite those findings, the treating physician reportedly diagnosed August with a possible viral illness and discharged her without obtaining a blood culture or prescribing antibiotics.
According to expert testimony presented during the trial, doctors later discovered August was suffering from bacterial meningitis after she returned to the emergency room less than 48 hours later experiencing seizures and partial paralysis.
Medical records introduced during the Tulsa County jury trial showed August ultimately spent 44 days hospitalized while undergoing brain surgery and treatment for multiple strokes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bacterial meningitis can rapidly become life-threatening without early diagnosis and antibiotic intervention.
Experts Testified Injuries Could Have Been Prevented
Medical experts called during the Tulsa County medical malpractice case testified that August’s injuries were entirely preventable.
According to trial testimony, a blood culture would likely have detected streptococcus bacteria within 24 hours.
Experts also testified that administering a single dose of ceftriaxone during the earlier emergency room visit could have sterilized the bloodstream within approximately two hours and prevented the meningitis from developing.
The family’s standard-of-care expert reportedly testified that elevated white blood cell counts shown in the laboratory results should not have been ignored.
The Tulsa County jury deliberated for roughly four hours before awarding $15 million in future medical expenses and lost future earnings.
August Montgomery Faces Lifelong Medical Challenges
Attorneys representing the family say August Montgomery now faces lifelong medical and developmental challenges because of the infection.
According to testimony presented during the trial, the 7-year-old now relies on cochlear implants for hearing and suffers from cerebral palsy and severe cognitive delays.
Lawyers stated she currently functions developmentally at approximately a 15-to-18-month-old level.
The lawsuit, officially titled Montgomery v. Katie Jackson, M.D., et al., was heard before Tulsa County District Judge Kevin Gray.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, early detection and treatment of serious bacterial infections in infants remains critical to preventing neurological damage and long-term disability.
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