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WEIRTON -- A recent trial in Brooke County found Weirton Medical Center liable in the death of an area resident, with a jury in the medical malpractice and wrongful death case awarding a total of $5.5 million to the plaintiff.
In a press release posted on its website May 25, the Fitzsimmons Law Firm announced the ruling of a total of $3.5 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages against the hospital in the case "Heffner v. Weirton Medical Center Inc."
Attorneys Bob Fitzsimmons and Breant Wear represented the family of the deceased.
"On behalf of the plaintiff and her family, our community and our firm, we want to thank the jury for their service and serious deliberations," Wear stated. "This verdict shows that the people of Brooke County and West Virginia understand that life is sacred and is something that we must always protect."
According to the law firm's statement, the patient was initially admitted to the hospital for pneumonia, alleging the treatment he received resulted in his death.
Weirton Medical Center issued a statement, expressing plans to appeal the verdict.
"This lawsuit was from 2012 and arose out of an unfortunate medical error for which the hospital took full responsibility," the statement reads. "We believe the verdict was unreasonable and excessive. The verdict is being appealed. We stress that patient safety is, and always will be, paramount at WMC."
First Judicial Circuit Court Judge Jason Cuomo presided over the case.