A Florida woman received a multi-million dollar award from an Alachua County jury. The jury found that Lanette Gervato’s severe disability and permanent brain injury was a direct result of medical negligence by the University of Florida’s Shands Teaching Hospital.
Gervato suffered brain damage that paralyzed her on one side, impaired her vision and caused a variety of other medical issues. She was 35 years old when she suffered from unexplained headaches. The doctors at Shands found a non-bleeding aneurysm and a neurosurgeon performed surgery in which he inserted coils into the aneurysm.
According to court documents, the surgical team unknowingly perforated one of the arteries in her brain during the operation. In a subsequent error after the procedure, Gervato was given a blood-thinning medication called Heparin, and suffered a post-operative stroke because of the medication. A nurse observed the symptoms but continued to administer the medication.
Heparin made Gervato’s skull fill up with blood and she suffered a massive stroke that ultimately paralyzed her left side of the body.
A jury sided with the plaintiff and awarded $23 million to Gervato and her future medical costs and costs of life-long caretakers. Gervato is permanently disabled. She is a wife and mother of four children.