From The Michigan Trial Reporter

Lansing Township Ordered to Pay $1.6M to Injured Motorist

An Ingham County Circuit Court jury awarded $1,604,950 to Carl Mennare, who was claiming a traumatic brain injury following a collision with a police officer. Mennare was driving his Suzuki automobile westbound on St. Joseph Highway at a speed of 35 to 40 mph when he collided with a car driven by Brett Ramsden, a police officer with Lansing Township. The collision occurred as Ramsden was backing out of the driveway of his home. The airbags in Mennare's car deployed. His wife, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was knocked unconscious, but did not suffer a serious injury. Mennare struck his head in the crash and was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. He claimed permanent residuals as a result of the head injury. The defendants had disputed the extent of the brain injury.

Mennare v. Lansing Township Police Dept.
Ingham County

Doctor's Response to Shoulder Dystocia Results in Jury Award

Mandee Arndt presented to Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital for the birth of her child. During delivery, the OB/GYN, Amy Mulcaster, M.D. of Charlotte Women's Health, encountered shoulder dystocia. Fundal pressure and downward lateral traction were applied to free the shoulder. After the birth was accomplished, the infant, Cassidy Arndt, was diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury of the right shoulder. The plaintiffs alleged that Mulcaster applied excessive lateral traction, which resulted in the injury, and the delivery team should have utilized a number of other recognized maneuvers to free the shoulder before applying fundal pressure and downward lateral traction. The defendants contended that the infant's injuries occurred in utero, before or during the time she progressed down the birth canal, due to the maternal forces of labor. However, an Eaton County jury found for the plaintiffs and awarded a $3,070,000 verdict.

VIEW THE FULL CASE Arndt v. Hayes Green Beach Memorial
Eaton County

Jury Sides with Patient Seeking Damages for Bowel Perforation

Diane Cameron underwent surgery to remove a large non-cancerous mass. The surgery was performed by Guy Boike, M.D., at Covenant Medical Center in Saginaw. A day after being discharged, Cameron was readmitted with a fever of 103 degrees, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Exploratory surgery revealed a bowel perforation. The perforation was repaired and a colostomy was revised to an ileostomy. Thereafter, Cameron underwent multiple procedures for abscess drainage and surgical intervention for the development of fistulas. Additionally, a large segment of her colon was removed as a result of the continued infectious process. She treated for post-operative complications over the course of 14 months. Cameron alleged that Boike was negligent in failing to timely diagnose and treat her bowel perforation. Liability was disputed by the defendants, but a Saginaw County jury returned a $612,237 verdict for Cameron.

VIEW THE FULL CASE Cameron v. Covenant Medical Center
Saginaw County