A nine-person Maine jury in Kennebec County Superior Court found unanimously on July 23 that Northern Light Health and its Inland Hospital were negligent in the care of Emily Mitchell of Skowhegan, the Bangor Daily News reported.
The jury found the negligence was the direct cause of her injuries. Mitchell was awarded $15.75 million for her injuries, pain and suffering and future medical costs. Her husband, Joshua Mitchell, was awarded $1.25 million.
Her attorneys said the award is the largest medical malpractice verdict in the county's history. The trial began July 13.
On March 1, 2023, Dr. Danielle Gagnon performed laparoscopic surgery on Mitchell, then 40, to remove a cyst on her left ovary. Imaging had shown the growth expanding significantly, according to WGME. It was benign.
Mitchell was admitted after the operation with intense pain, bloating and difficulty urinating, according to the lawsuit. She was transferred two days later to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor as her symptoms worsened.
