AMN Healthcare and UCSF Medical Center Pay $6 Million in Medical Malpractice Case
By Cecilia Green
Published on August 09, 2005
The lawsuit was filed in San Francisco Superior Court where the plaintiffs requested $13.5 million in compensation. Although it was not announced until later, the plaintiffs agreed to a smaller, $6 million settlement on June 20th.
On December 26, 2001, the patient, Spencer Sullivan went to UCSF Medical Center for elective neck surgery, an operation that was considered successful. However, following the operation Spencer was allegedly overmedicated and not provided with proper observational care, which resulted in neurological damage. Spencer Sullivan, who is now a 44-year-old quadriplegic will likely require full-time care for the rest of his life.
The post-surgical nurse who was to oversee Spencer after his operation was a visiting nurse to the UCSF Medical Center employed by AMN Healthcare, Inc.
In the settlement agreement, UCSF agreed to pay 60% of the settlement costs, $3.6 million, while AMN Healthcare, Inc. agreed to pay the other 40%, $2.4 million.
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