Man awarded $412M malpractice judgment—the largest in history
A jury has awarded a man in New Mexico $412 million in a malpractice lawsuit. The judgment is the largest malpractice payout in history.
The man, Michael, went to NuMale Medical Center for help with weight loss and fatigue, only to leave with a penis that his attorneys described as “dead.” Michael testified at trial that he was upsold injections to help with erectile dysfunction by a physician assistant at the men’s health chain, Steven Chapman.
According to the lawsuit, it was Chapman who asked about erectile dysfunction and pushed for Michael to receive treatment, arguing that it would help with his prescribed testosterone replacement therapy.
Michael was given a kit for at-home penis injections along with testosterone. After not noticing any improvement, he returned to the clinic. According to Michael, he was then injected with 75% more of the drug than medically advisable, leaving him with an erect penis.
After the erection failed to subside for two days, Michael returned to NuMale Medical Center again, where physicians recommended he go to the emergency room immediately. Despite having surgery, the damage was done. Michael is 66.
A jury agreed that Chapman and NuMale Medical Center acted fraudulently and negligently, causing permanent harm to Michael that will greatly diminish his quality of life.
In a statement to the media, NuMale Medical Center said it disagreed with the jury’s decision and intends to appeal. As interest accumulates, the chain of clinics could be on the hook for over $500 million.
Read the full story from Newsweek at the link below.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.