The Colorado Supreme Court is hearing an appeal in a malpractice lawsuit against Lone Tree, Colo.-based Sky Ridge Medical Center, its operator and physicians Edward Ehrichs, MD, and Michael Rauzzino, MD, according to an April 11 report from Colorado Politics.
Daniel Scholle sued the system and its physicians for negligence following a 2015 procedure that led to severe infection and 100 days in the hospital's intensive care unit.
A Denver jury awarded Mr. Scholle $9.3 million for past and future medical expenses and lost income despite the state's $1 million cap on medical malpractice suits. Mr. Scholle showed there was good reason to exceed the cap, according to the report.
A three-judge panel for the court of appeals overturned the decision, capping Mr. Scholle's damages at $1 million.
Mr. Scholle died during the appeal, but his widow has taken his place in the lawsuit and is challenging the decreased payout, the report said.
The hospital is operated by Denver-based HealthOne, which is owned by Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare.