The Alabama Supreme Court found that it did not have jurisdiction to even consider the case because of Baptist Health's affiliation agreement with UAB. The high court made this finding even though Baptist Health had not even argued state immunity at the trial-court level.
Discerning readers probably will not be surprised to learn that all four justices who voted to overturn the jury verdict are Republicans--and they have received major campaign support from corporate interests.
You can check out the Alabama Supreme Court's brilliant "reasoning" at the link below:
What about that other case in the pipeline? Just last week, the family of a Birmingham man won a $3 million jury verdict against Princeton Baptist Medical Center and a team of doctors. Laboyish Catlin, 37, died in January 2006 after surgery for a duodenal ulcer.
Shay Samples, of the Birmingham firm Hare Wynn Newell and Newton, was lead plaintiffs' attorney in the Catlin case. Samples also was involved in the Lauree Ellison case. Reports The Birmingham News:
The suit cited an autopsy report that said he bled to death. The suit claimed negli -gent and improper surgery and other flawed medical care by the hospital and doctors. After the surgery, the suit said, Catlin re -quired "multiple blood transfu -sions."
"Exsanguination in the artery" was the cause of death, the suit said. Samples said Catlin, known as Wayne, was sent home from sur -gery without proper follow-up care and died there.
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