Patient Paralyzed After Spinal Tap Gets 10.9M

 

A man who is paralyzed from the waist down after receiving a spinal tap recovered $10.9 million. Thomas Colombrito developed a hematoma at the lumbar puncture site, which compressed his spinal cord, causing paralysis. Two days later he underwent emergency surgical decompression to no avail. Colombrito claimed that Dr. Sireesha Janga failed to discontinue anticoagulants before the spinal tap. Colombrito also sued Dr. Richard Torres for failing to follow up on an MRI. The jury found Janga 51 percent liable and Torres 4 percent liable. The hospital and neurologist who delivered the spinal tap were found 45 percent liable, but they settled before trial. Due to settlement credits and award caps under Texas law, the jury's $22.5 million award was reduced.