Major Victories

The following are some of the larger publicly disclosed settlements and verdicts obtained by Kline & Specter attorneys. The list does not account for innumerable major settlements which are confidential nor for scores of other Kline & Specter seven-figure settlements and verdicts.
$153 M	Verdict against Ford in death of a boy run over by truck with defective parking brake. The then-second largest such verdict in the nation. (White) (Jury awarded $52 million in retrial of punitive damages.)
$109M	Largest personal injury verdict in Pennsylvania history, including $48 million compensatory and $61 million punitive damages for the family of a woman killed by a fallen electric line. (Goretzka)
$100 M	Largest-ever medical malpractice verdict in Pennsylvania, for a baby who suffered severe brain damage due to medical malpractice. (Vlasny)
$57 M	Verdict in midwife birth injury case involving oxygen deprivation which resulted in cerebral palsy. (Hall)
$51 M	Verdict against the Philadelphia mass transit agency in a case in which a boy’s foot was severed in an escalator. SEPTA was also fined for concealing documents. (Hall)
$49 M	Verdict in a hospital error case that left a young man severely brain damaged. The award set a Pennsylvania record at the time for a medical malpractice case. (Caruso)
More verdicts and settlements are listed below the video.
See our Suburban, Northeast, Central and Western Pennsylvania cases
$40.5 M	Settlement in explosion that killed six and injured six others at apartment complex where basement flooding had caused a gas line break. (Village Green
$38.2 M	Delaware County verdict in auto accident case for girl injured at notoriously dangerous intersection. Plaintiffs were PennDOT and Borough of East Lansdowne. (Robley)
$36.4 M	Settlement with oil refinery in death of a worker, believed to be the largest-ever reported settlement nationally for a single-victim employee fatality. (Motiva)
$35 M	Preliminarily approved settlement on behalf of more than 100 businesses and individuals for losses in the 2001 Continental Business Center fire in Bridgeport, Pa. (Bridgeport)
$33.1 M	Lehigh County verdict in the case of a missed diagnosis of breast cancer that resulted in a woman’s death. (Welteroth)
$29.6 M	Settlement in the Pier 34 collapse that left three women dead and dozens injured. (Pier 34)
$27.6 M	Jury verdict in the case of a Philadelphia woman injured after exercising for a promotional video for replacement knees. (Polett)
$25 M	Jury verdict against two doctors found negligent in the death of a patient, herself a doctor, after a routine fertility procedure. (Matteo)
$25 M	Settlement: Failure to diagnose life threatening cardiac problem following open heart surgery resulting in cardiac arrest and death.
$25 M	Settlement: Misdiagnosis and failure to properly treat retinopathy of prematurity in twin boys resulting in blindness.
$24 M	Jury verdict in a premises liability case involving a three-year-old girl’s near-drowning at an apartment complex swimming pool. (Weightman)
$22 M	New Jersey verdict for a woman injured after childbirth when blood arrived late for a transfusion. (Gomez)
$21.6 M	Jury verdict for child born with severe brain injury. Verdict was a record for an Erie County, Pa., personal injury case. (Graham)
$20.8 M	Jury verdict for a podiatrist who lost her foot due to errors committed after she entered hospital for an unrelated treatment. (Young)
$20 M	Negligent care during labor and delivery causes a catastrophic brain injury.
$20 M	Medical malpractice verdict for boy who went blind after birth. Award was one of the largest ever in Montgomery County. (Lee)
$20 M	Jury verdict for a college student who suffered brain damage after nurses failed to respond in time to an alarm. (Gallagher)
$19.9 M	Verdict for a patient who was assaulted while in the hospital, suffering severe injuries. Record Delaware verdict. (Sparber)
$19.2 M	Jury award against Merrell Dow for boy born with club feet after his mother had taken the morning sickness drug Bendectin. (Blum)
$19.1 M	Luzerne County verdict for mother of three left incapacitated after being struck by a van as she worked at a roadside construction site. (McManamon)
$19 M	Settlement: Overdose of Pitocin during delivery results in baby being born with severe brain damage and injury to mother.
$19 M	Settlement: Surgical error during liver donor procedure for transplantation results in liver failure.
$18.5 M	Verdict for medical error that caused damage to a girl’s heart and required later heart transplant, leaving her with only a 50-50 chance of living past 21. (Keen)
$18 M	Settlement: Infant suffers severe and catastrophic cerebral palsy due to a delay in performing a C-section.
$17.5 M	Verdict against VA ex-Marine who suffered a stroke following dental procedure. (Ellison)
$17 M	Settlement: Cerebral palsy, severe brain damage due to bacterial meningitis, chronic lung disease.
$15.2 M	Verdict for a baby injured during heart surgery and left suffering severe brain damage. (Sears)
$15 M	Verdict for family of teenager who died after falling down a mine shaft while on a group trip in Mexico. (Crane)
$15 M	Verdict for a woman who suffered a stroke following carotid artery surgery. (Dupon)
$15 M	Jury award to a Down Syndrome boy who was left brain damaged after an error during heart surgery. (Borkowski)
$15 M	Settlement: Disease left untreated and subsequent negligent attempt at surgery results in permanent waist-down paralysis.
$14.8 M	Settlement: Failure to diagnose cerebral edema causes brain damage.
$14 M	Bucks County verdict against the Pennsbury School district for a teenage student who lost her leg when she was run over by a school bus. (Zauflik)
$13M	Settlement: Man dies of sepsis after coronary bypass surgery due to failure to provide appropriate antibiotic therapy.
$13M	Settlement: Obstetrical malpractice results in brain injury to child and gynecologic injury.
$12.25 M	Settlement for boy injured after falling through an apartment window. Jury awarded $7 million but pre-trial agreement raised the sum paid. (Woolfolk)
$12M	Settlement: Negligent treatment of leukemia results in patient suffering spinal cord injury and quadriplegia.
$11.7 M	Settlement with the Philadelphia Housing Authority and property manager for girl who suffered brain damage after asthma attack caused by mold in home. (McKinney)
$11.3M	Settlement: Patient incapacitated following experimental treatment without his knowledge or proper oversight.
$10.5 M	Settlement for the family of a Philadelphia teenager killed when staff at a treatment center put him into a restraint hold. (Leach)
$10 M	Settlement with manufacturer in a case in which a school lunch table collapsed and killed a kindergarten student. (Cozzolino)
$10 M	New Jersey jury verdict involving boy who suffered brain damage due to allergic reaction to peanuts. (Varghese)
$9.5M	Settlement: Failure to diagnose sodium levels results in pediatric stroke in a nine-month-old child.
$9.5M	Settlement: Patient with abdominal and arm pain dies of heart attack while waiting in ER.
$9.5M	Settlement: Failure to diagnose seizure disorder in baby results in brain injury.
$9M	Settlement: Delay in C-section for fetal distress causes asphyxia and brain injury.
$8.75M	Pittsburgh jury verdict for family of tow truck operator killed when Ford parking brake failed. (Blumer)
$8.5M	Settlement: Delay in delivery results fetal distress, cerebral atrophy and other injuries.
$8.2 M	Delaware County verdict for missed cancer diagnosis. (Labricciosa)
$8 M	Settlement in Philadelphia workplace death case (Green)
$8M	Settlement: Forceps delivery of premature baby causes skull fractures, cerebral palsy.
$8M	Settlement: Infant delivered via C-section suffers seizures, cerebral palsy.
$8M	Settlement: Injured teenager brain damaged due to excessive anesthetic and morphine.
$8M	Settlement: Mistreated infection after childbirth causes sepsis and mother's death.
$7.9 M	Allegheny County verdict for worker hurt in fall. (Drum)
$7.8 M	Allegheny County record med-mal verdict for childbirth injury. (Briggs)
$7.75M	Settlement: Delay in diagnosis and treatment of ruptured spleen results in death.
$7.5M	Settlement with La Salle University for brain injured football player. (Plevretes)
$7.5M	Settlement: Botched resuscitation after birth results in quadriplegia and cognitive deficits.
$7.5M	Settlement: Pre-birth malpractice leads to infant's severe mental and physical disabilities.
$7.5M	Settlement: Death of patient who suffered perforation and bleeding during sinus surgery.
$7.25 M	Child is injured at birth in central Pennsylvania
$7M	Settlement: Baby suffers brain damage when skull is crushed in forceps/vacuum delivery.
$7M	Settlement: Woman paralyzed due to medical errors in treatment following car accident.
$7M	Settlement: Injuries sustained in delay in delivery and later failure to timely intubate baby.
$7M	Settlement: Woman dies after giving birth due to bleeding and fluid management issues.
$6.9M	Settlement: Paraplegic injuries to 11-year old girl following spinal surgery.
$6.8M	Settlement: Misplaced tube causes child's intra-operative cardiac arrest, severe injuries.
$6.8 M	Luzerne County verdict vs. motorcycle helmet manufacturer. (Wandel)
$6.6 M	Philadelphia jury verdict in boy’s drowning death at camp. (Slaughter)
$6.6 M	Settlement with doctor, hospital in death of 16-month-old. (Donnelly)
$6.5 M	Philadelphia jury verdict for injured worker. (Vassallo)
$6.5 M	Settlement for woman brain damaged by hospital error. (McDowell)
$6.5M	Settlement: Patient not advised of test result showing heart defect dies of heart attack.
$6.5M	Settlement: Brain injury in failure to properly monitor and treat Guillian-Barre syndrome.
$6.5M	Settlement: Delay in delivery results in severe brain damage, cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
$6.5M	Settlement: Injuries to infant due to inadequate monitoring of mother after car accident.
$6.4M	Settlement: Misplaced IV moves air embolis into child’s lungs, causing cardiac arrest
$6.4M	Settlement: Delay in birth delivery results in ischemic encephalopathy.
$6.4M	Settlement: Brain damage suffered as a result of poor care during labor and delivery.
$6.3M	Settlement: Patient’s heart punctured during placement of port, results in heart attack.
$6.3M	Settlement: Woman develops pneumonia after surgery, suffers quadriplegic injuries.
$6.3M	Settlement: Negligence leads to catastrophic and permanent birth injuries to twins.
$6.2 M	Settlement for boy who suffered brain damage after tonsil surgery. Hospital also pledged to make safety changes. (Bates)
$6 M	Indiana County verdict for baby injured during delivery (Chichy)
$6M	Settlement: Patient suffers respiratory distress after hip replacement, suffers brain injury.
$6M	Settlement: Botched delivery by midwife results in baby’s severe brain injury.
$6M	Settlement: Child with history of leukemia dies of acute bleeding dur to over-transfusion.
$6M	Settlement: Botched CV line placement, delayed diagnosis leads to leg amputations.
$6M	Settlement: Delay in treating thoracic aortic dissection brings cardiac arrest, brain injury.
$6M	Settlement: Misdiagnosis leads to prolonged hypoglycemia, woman’s death.
$6M	Settlement: Premature baby in hospital three weeks contracts bacterial meningitis.
$6M	Settlement: Mismanagement of blood pressure during anesthesia causes stroke.
$5.8 M	NJ verdict for woman given wrong anti-malaria drug for trip. (May)
$5.8M	Settlement: Woman suffers stroke following a transcatheter closure procedure.
$5.5 M	Verdict for parents of murdered parking lot attendant (Palmer)
$5.63M	Settlement: Medical malpractice leading to cardiac arrest following car accident.
$5.5M	Settlement: Early withdrawl of antibiotics leads to infection, hydrocephalus.
$5.5M	Settlement: Injection causes hematoma on spine, paralysis.
$5.45M	Settlement: Spine and brain trauma to psychiatric patient who fell in hospital.
$5.3M	Settlement: Delay in delivery causes severe hypoxic ischemic brain injury.
$5.25 M	Settlement for man injured in accident with truck. (Lebeau)
$5.25M	Settlement: Surgery results in sliver of bone pressing against spine, paralysis.
$5.21M	Settlement: Pediatric ICU and endocrinologic malpractice results in brain injury.
$5.2 M	Medical malpractice verdict for estate of Philadelphia woman who died of internal bleeding. (Sacks)
$5.2 M	Verdict vs. doctors for 76-year-old who suffered a stroke. (Monaghan)
$5.2M	Settlement: Missed uterine cancer diagnosis leads to spread of the disease.
$5.1 M	Settlement in drowning of 16-year-old boy (McCoy)
$5.1M	Settlement: Missed diagnosis of clogged intestine in ER leads to fatal heart attack.
$5 M	Settlement for an undocumented worker crushed to death in housing excavation. (Arana)
$5M	Settlement: Medical malpractice involving valve surgery results in death.
$5M	Settlement: Delay in diagnosis of placental abruption and delivery causes brain injury.
$5M	Settlement: Failure to properly read scan leads to cancer, multiple surgeries.
$5M	Settlement: Late diagnosis and treatment of epidural hematoma causes quadriplegia.
$5M	Settlement: Delayed diagnosis of benign brain tumor results in neurological injuries.
$5M	Settlement: Negligent birth delivery and resuscitation causes neurologic injuries, death.
$5M	Settlement: Failure to timely deliver baby in fetal distress causes neurological injuries.
$5M	Settlement: Infant dies after misconnected tubing over-pressurizes resuscitation bag.
$5M	Settlement: Missed breast cancer diagnosis delays treatment more than two years.

Kline & Specter, P.C.
1525 Locust St. - Philadelphia, Pa.
215-772-1000

* Among some of the other better-known seven-figure settlements and verdicts are: $4.5 million – Jury award for elderly couple killed in car accident (Carter); $4.4 million – Settlement in fatal crane accident (Yankosky); $4 million settlement in prisoner civil rights case (Seidel) $3.4 million – Settlement for young man who dies getting a nose job (Covenko); $3.2 million - Settlement for woman killed by a piece of farming equipment (Curtis); $3 million - 2012 jury verdict in missed colon cancer diagnosis case (Goncalves); $3 million - Verdict for woman injured in surgery to remove a benign tumor (Grolimund); $3 million – Montgomery Co. verdict for missed breast cancer diagnosis (Lackman); $2.8 million - Verdict for failure to order tests to detect cancer (Denning); $2.9 million – Delaware County verdict for doctor who died at his own hospital (Ebel); $2.5 million – Settlement for a man and son killed by city police car (Gillyard/Rich); $2 million – Verdict for older woman who died after catheter misplaced (Spraggans).

Kline & Specter, P.C. works on a contingent fee basis – which means we only get paid if and when you are financially compensated. Kline & Specter is paid a percentage of the amount recovered. Any costs incurred by Kline & Specter will only be charged if the client is financially compensated.

Click on the following options below to learn more about some of Kline and Specter's most notable cases:

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• Medical Malpractice (Includes brain and spinal cord injury, birth injury and neonatal cases, failure to diagnose cancer, and general malpractice)
• Mass Tort/Drug Cases (Vioxx, Fen-Phen, Baycol)
• Product Liability
• Premises Liability
• Construction/Workplace Injuries
• Automobile Litigation
• Civil Rights
• Defamation