Victims' Stories demonstrate unfairness of damage caps The below cases tell the real stories, in words and pictures, of victims of medical malpractice whose lives have already been turned upside down by the carelessness of others. A cap on non-economic damages would limit these victims' ability to recover for the pain and suffering they have endured. Special thanks to PaTLA Treasurer Beth Lazzara of Pittsburgh for these stories.  To view, print or download these compelling stories, click on the link to the right of the story.. Olivia (Oct. 27, 2003) - Olivia's mom had problems delivering her first child. When the time came for her to deliver her second baby, her physicians never looked at her history or monitored the size of the baby. As a result of her doctors’ negligence, little Olivia has almost no use of her right arm. Olivia's Story#37 Lois (Oct. 20, 2003) - Lois died following her family physician’s orders. Lois displayed the signs of angina, but her doctor repeatedly misdiagnosed her symptoms and ignored a warning from an E.R. physician. Lois was treated for gallstones and heartburn, but her doctor never referred her to a cardiologist who would have saved her life. Lois' Story#36 Dana (Oct. 13, 2003) - Dana was just beginning what promised to be a successful career. All that changed when the car in which she was riding was struck at high speed by a delivery truck whose driver was not paying attention. Dana was crushed between the front and back seats of the car. Dana's Story#35 Elaine (Oct. 6, 2003) - Elaine should have been enjoying her golden years after working hard for many years to take care of her children. But a laboratory’s failure to tell Elaine’s doctor about results of tests that her blood was too thin—and her doctors’ own negligence in treating her condition—have left her without the use of her legs. Elaine's Story#34 Melissa (Sept. 29, 2003) - As a result of her doctors’ negligence, tiny Melissa suffered serious brain damage. She will never breath on her own--dependent upon a ventilator—and must be fed through a tube. She is also severely disabled requiring around-the-clock care. Melissa's Story#33 Marybeth (Sept. 22, 2003) - Marybeth, a wife and mother of four children, was only 37 when she died of malignant melanoma—a totally treatable and curable cancer if detected in time. But Marybeth’s doctor ignored examining Marybeth’s skin at yearly physicals even though she knew her family’s history with the disease and had been warned by Marybeth’s oncologist. Marybeth's Story#32 Caroline (Sept. 15, 2003) - Little Caroline was born pre-term and was at an increased risk of developing high levels of bilirubin. Her medical condition could have been easily prevented, but Caroline’s doctors failed to recognize and treat her excessive bilirubin levels in time, resulting in severe brain damage. Caroline's Story#31 Mary (Sept. 8, 2003) - Mary is forced to stay home from work and rely on friends for help with everyday chores after her doctors left a sponge inside of her following surgery. Multiple doctors failed to remove the sponge, even though an X-ray clearly showed it was there. Mary's Story#30 Keith (Sept. 1, 2003) - Keith’s life was ruined forever when he went in for a routine surgery. Now his wife is afraid to leave him home alone due to a brain injury caused by the negligence of the hospital staff caring for him. Keith's Story#29 John (Aug. 25, 2003)- John was killed when a tractor-trailer driven by an illegal immigrant who had not had enough rest plowed into his car on the highway. John's Story#28 Christine (Aug. 18, 2003) - Christine was forced to give up her new career and her house, both of which she loved very much, because a doctor’s mistake caused her to lose a leg. Christine's Story#27 David (Aug. 11, 2003) - Young David suffered severe and permanent brain damage when his oxygen tube became dislodged. Even though he was in a hospital intensive care unit, the nurse didn’t respond to David’s alarm for almost seven minutes. David's Story#26  Gary (Aug. 4, 2003) - Gary lost his home, his hobbies, the part of his job that he loved, his energy, his self-confidence and his physical integrity because of his surgeon's negligence. Gary's Story#25  Michael (July 28, 2003) - Michael died a totally preventable and needless death because his doctor failed to provide the correct treatment and the hospital was unable to appropriately respond to a cardiac emergency created by the doctor’s negligence.  Michael's Story#24  Loan (July 21, 2003) - Loan and her family were hit head-on by a drunk driver. Loan’s children received only minor injuries, but Loan wasn’t as lucky—suffering serious facial lacerations and bruises. Loan's Story #23  Lori (July 14, 2003) - When Lori’s car was struck head-on by a drunk driver, her life was forever shattered. Her right lower leg needed to be rebuilt and her jaw was wired shut. She cannot walk or climb stairs without intense pain and she is now relegated to a life of pain and disfigurement. Lori's Story #22 Marc (July 7, 2003) - Marc was a successful doctor who had an excellent chance of overcoming Hodgkin’s Disease. But when complications developed during a biopsy, Marc’s doctors waited too long stop his severe internal bleeding. Marc died because his doctors delayed performing a simple life-saving procedure. Marc's Story #21 Alton (June 30, 2003) - Alton was seriously injured while riding his motorcycle—the victim of a negligent driver. Witnesses thought Alton had died in the crash. He suffered severe brain trauma, punctured lungs, fractured ribs, internal injuries, severe open fractures of his left leg, and nerve damage to his left arm. Alton's Story #20 Don (June 23, 2003) - Don, an electrician, was working at a power company when he was subjected to over 12,000 volts of electricity due to the power company’s negligence. Don should have died--suffering multi-organ failure several times, receiving burns on over 60% of his body and even more damaging internal burns and injuries, and undergoing painful reconstructive surgeries for his face, hands, and bodily integrity. Don's Story #19 Joe (June 16, 2003) - Unlike most fathers, Joe, who is dying of cancer, will not be able to take care of his family or watch his young son grow up. Joe’s mouth cancer was treatable, but his doctor misdiagnosed his condition—allowing the cancer to grow for two years. Even worse, the doctor later changed Joe’s medical records to cover up his mistakes. Joe's Story #18  Loretta (June 9, 2003) - Loretta, a wife and mother of four children, complained to her OB about lumps in her breasts at two annual checkups. The cancer inside of Loretta grew as her doctor dismissed her complaints. Finally, a year later, tests revealed breast cancer. Despite radical surgery, Loretta’s days with her family are dwindling. Her last days will be filled with debilitating pain because the cancer has spread through her body and to her brain. Because of her doctor’s negligence, Loretta will never see her children grow up. Loretta's Story #17 Caitlyn (June 2, 2003) - Tiny Caitlyn suffered severe brain damage as a result of oxygen deprivation during her birth. The obstetrician delivering Caitlyn did not recognize that she was in serious fetal distress. At age six, Caitlyn is profoundly disabled and cannot walk or talk. Caitlyn's Story #16 Marlaina (May 26, 2003) - Eight-year-old Marlaina kept getting sicker and sicker as ammonia built up in her bloodstream. Her condition was treatable, but a key test to investigate the metabolic disorder that Marlaina had was never performed. The test was done too late for Marlaina, who died a slow and agonizing death. Marlaina's Story #15 Johnny (May 19, 2003) - died as a result of severe dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea. Johnny’s mother brought him to the hospital emergency room in plenty of time, but his abnormal vital signs and condition were ignored. Johnny and his mom were forced to wait for almost three hours. Help in the form of a simple IV was less than 50 feet away. Johnny's Story #14 Madeline (May 12, 2003) - was forced to undergo unnecessary exploratory surgery to remove a critical part of her small intestine. Her doctors then operated at least four more times--all to correct a problem caused by the unnecessary surgery--taking out over 18 feet of her small intestine. The surgeries nearly cost Madeline her life and have left her to be tube-fed for the remainder of her life. Madeline's Story #13 Paula (May 5, 2003) - underwent cosmetic surgery to correct a breast deformity. She could not know that the doctor recommended to her was ill-qualified for the job. As a result of numerous mistakes by this doctor, Paula was left permanently scarred. Paula's Story #12 Charles (April 28, 2003) - was misdiagnosed with cancer and underwent needless radition treatments that caused permanent physical damage and left him confined to a wheelchair. After switching hospitals, Charles was told that he never had cancer at all. Charles' Story #11 Kaitylnn (April 21, 2003) Kaitlynn's Story #10 Kathleen (April 7, 2003) - Kathleen #8 Bill (March 31, 2003) - Bill's Story #7 Ellen (March 23, 2003) - Ellen's Story #6 Monica (March 17, 2003) - Monica's Story #5 Shirley (March 6, 2003) - Shirley's Story #4 Janet (February 26, 2003) - Janet's Story #3 Fuzzy (February 20, 2003) - Fuzzy's Story #2 Heather (February 13, 2003) - Heather's Story #1