Woman Awarded $1.7 Million from IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital

Medical malpractice—negligence on the behalf of a healthcare professional that causes harm to a patient—is unfortunately all too common. In this case, an Indiana woman left the hospital with permanent ear damage.

Case Details

Billie Jo Sayers went to Indiana University Health’s Ball Memorial Hospital for an abdominal infection back in 2010, and she left the hospital with permanent inner ear damage that led to hearing loss and balance problems.

A judge, with the help of medical experts who testified, agreed that the hospital gave Sayers nine times more Gentamicin than they should have—and that, while the antibiotic was intended to treat her abdominal infection, the sheer quantity she was given was inappropriate.

Sayers walked away with $1.7 million in damages, and the verdict was nearly five years coming.

Lifelong Health Issues

Sayers now faces an uphill battle of treatment and care for her inner ear damage, which could include hearing aids and the use of emerging medical technologies. While there is currently no way to repair a damaged inner ear, researchers have identified promising ways to restore hearing loss in mice. However, those treatments are still being tested (and not in humans).

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney Today

If you or a loved one have been a victim of medical malpractice, you are urged to contact the attorneys of Wilson Kehoe Winingham. An experienced Indianapolis medical malpractice lawyer at WKW can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call 317.920.6400 or fill out an online contact form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

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