Darling v Charleston Community Memorial Hospital - Essay Example

Darling v Charleston Community Memorial Hospital The plaintiff, Darling, a girl sued Charleston Community Memorial hospital for negligence that led to amputation of her right leg. The case resulted after Darling got involved in an accident in1960 during a football game and got a fracture of the leg. On arrival at Charleston Community Memorial Hospital, the doctor in charge, Dr. Alexander, took care of her. In the course of treatment, her condition worsened eventually leading to amputation of her right leg (Hogan 146).

The plaintiff’s side argued that was it not for Dr. Alexander’s negligence, she would still be having her legs. They argued that the doctor was negligent in regard to his professionalism and such an event may not have accoutred if he stuck to providing professional health care (Hogan 147). The hospital was sued for not keeping to the level of care it is supposed to provide for its patients. In according to a hospital by policy, a hospital is not responsible for negligence created by a physician.

They argued that suing them was in appropriate since it was the doctor who committed the offence of negligence, and not the hospital (Hogan 148). A verdict was reached and the hospital fined $110, 000 to compensate for the damages caused to Darling on the basis of negligence through failure to keep up to the standards stated in their bylaws. Works CitedHogan, Neal C. Unhealed Wounds: Medical Malpractice in the Twentieth Century. New York: LFB Scholarly Publishing LLC, 2003. Print.