$30M settlement in Tripler malpractice suit

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Tripler Medical Center has agreed to settle a medical malpractice lawsuit for nearly $30 million.     

In September of 2016, the one-month-old daughter of Laura Warren was brought to Tripler with a swollen abdomen that had turned blue from the waist down.

Shortly after arriving, the child stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated.

It was later determined she had what’s called mid-gut volvulus which is a condition which causes the intestines to twist, causing an obstruction and loss of blood flow.

The lawsuit claims Tripler did not test for volvulus which led the child to lose between 70 to 95-percent of her intestinal tract.

The United States Attorney General summarized the case:

“As reflected in the caption of the case, this suit named a number of defendants, including the United States. Previously, Plaintiffs reached a settlement with other named defendants for a confidential amount, which settlement was reflected in the attached court recommendation confirming good faith settlement and adopting order. After a trial where the United States was the only remaining defendant, in the attached Preliminary Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, the Court found the United States degree of negligence in this matter to be 25 percent (at p. 34). The Court’s Supplemental Finding of Facts and Conclusions of Law filed yesterday determined the total amount of damages to be $29,479,308. As stated in the Preliminary Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (at p. 13), a finding of a good faith settlement reduces a plaintiff’s claims against joint tortfeasors by the amount stipulated to in the release or in the amount of the consideration paid for it, whichever is greater.”

The U.S. Attorney General, Merrick Garland

As a result, she requires supplemental nutrition and medication which is given to her through tubes going into permanent ports which got infected, causing brain and heart damage.

She is now six years old and is intellectually impaired.

KHON2 News reached out to Tripler medical center for comment.