Cynthia A. Adae v. University of Cincinnati, Case No. 2007-08228

Six years and one day after filing her initial claim in the Court of Claims of Ohio, a paralyzed Clinton County woman settled a medical negligence case with the University of Cincinnati for $2.3 million. The Court of Claims approved the settlement on October 24.

On June 28, 2006, Cynthia Adae was taken to Clinton Memorial Hospital with symptoms of right shoulder pain, limited range of motion of her right upper extremity, a cough, and a fever. The attending doctors theorized that Adae could have an infection or thyroid abnormality. They considered performing a spinal tap, but didn’t. After ordering a series of blood tests, the doctors discharged Adae the next day without knowing the results.

Adae’s complaint noted that the blood tests showed she was suffering from an infection. One of the doctors “was made aware of the blood culture tests during the afternoon of July 2, 2006, but failed to advise the patient of those results or take any action to further evaluate or treat Ms. Adae,” according to the complaint.

Adae was admitted to Middletown Regional Hospital on July 1, 2006 and again discharged “without a diagnosis of her condition or an investigation of the blood culture tests that had been performed at Clinton Memorial Hospital.”

After returning to the Middletown hospital four days later, the true cause of her condition, an epidural abscess, was learned. By that time, however, Adae had “developed progressive paraplegia, weakness of her upper and lower extremities, slurred speech, and acute renal failure.”

“As direct and proximate results of the negligence of Defendants, Plaintiff Cynthia A. Adae has suffered significant injuries, has been rendered permanently and totally physically disabled at age 50; has been forced to undergo multiple dangerous and painful diagnostic and therapeutic procedures; has incurred physical pain and mental distress, and expects to incur such expenses and losses and suffer pain and disability for the remainder of her life,” the complaint states.

Adae’s attorneys sued the University of Cincinnati because it “operated a family practice residency program to provide education, training and experience to family practice residents” at Clinton Memorial.

The Court of Claims is given original jurisdiction to hear and determine all civil actions filed against the State of Ohio and its agencies.

To access information on other cases visit the Court of Claims website.

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