Jury Awards $30 Million to Victim of Surgical Fire

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55-year old Becky Anderson was undergoing surgery to remove polyps from her vocal cords when a surgical fire broke out in the operating room. The fire spread to Anderson’s breathing tube and the patient was left without the use of her speech. Ms. Anderson reportedly will require long-term care and requires some assistance with breathing, but she’s able to swallow and has her mental faculties. According to one media report, “Anderson was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle due to the seriousness of her injuries, and had undergone extensive care and numerous surgeries, and was still a patient there when the lawsuit was filed in May 2012. Central Washington Hospital settled for $12 million, and a King County Superior Court jury recently awarded an additional $18 million, including $7.65 million against Wenatchee Valley Medical Center and $4.35 million against Wenatchee Anesthesia Associates.”

Jared Green
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