Verdicts and Settlements

$109,000,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $109 million verdict on behalf of a brain-injured plaintiff and his wife – the highest malpractice verdict in the United States that year.

Duffy & Duffy proved that the doctors’ failure to treat the plaintiff in a timely fashion following a seizure caused by a brain abscess that resulted in massive, indescribable memory loss.

Additionally, Duffy & Duffy properly demonstrated the plaintiff’s injury could have been avoided if the doctors were quicker to act.

$25,000,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $25 million verdict on behalf of a male plaintiff that consistently complained about head and neck pain, and an inability to move his limbs, but the doctors believed it was imaginary.

Duffy & Duffy proved that the hospital physicians were negligent in the case, and that it was a classic example of physicians basing their decisions and subsequent actions on the costs and pressures asserted by the health care providers.

As a result, the physicians failed to provide reasonable medical care, leaving the plaintiff paralyzed and unable to eat or speak for the rest of his life.

$19,200,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $19.2 million verdict in the Bronx Supreme Court in the 12th Judicial District on behalf of a 53 year-old male paraplegic plaintiff. Duffy & Duffy proved a delay in diagnosis and treatment of a spinal abscess resulted in paraplegia.

The plaintiff had been confined to a residential facility and was it not for the verdict, would have remained there for his life. In the trial, Duffy & Duffy uncovered early progress notes stating that the plaintiff may have had spinal injuries but the defendants did not conduct the required tests or notify appropriate experts such as a neurosurgeon.

$9,250,000.00 for a middle aged man who suffered lower extremity paralysis following a misread CT scan and a failure to diagnose a spinal abscess. An appeal on the case had been briefed by both sides when settlement commenced. This Bronx County venue settled during appeals.

$8,400,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured an $8.4 million ​settlement on behalf of our client, a young boy who was injured as a result of medical malpractice. With this settlement he will be able to live safely and comfortably for the rest of his life.

$7,300,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $7.3 million settlement just before trial reached the Suffolk County Supreme Court, in Long Island, New York. On behalf of a female plaintiff, Duffy & Duffy proved the defendants failed to properly and appropriately respond to an emergency during the delivery of the plaintiff’s son, and that the baby was not timely and properly resuscitated after delivery.

As a result, the baby suffered from a number of conditions, and was confined to a residential facility.

$6,750,000.00 for a 65 year old man who was struck by a vehicle while crossing in the middle of a busy roadway. Plaintiff did not utilize the crosswalk located at a traffic light a few hundred feet away. Plaintiff sustained significant injuries including brain damage and serious physical injuries which require extensive nursing care. This Nassau County matter was settled at mediation.

$6,250,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $6,250,000 settlement on behalf of a woman whose baby’s premature delivery could have been prevented with a timely sonogram. As a result of the premature birth, the baby suffered brain damage. The mother presented symptoms of preterm labor- including cramping, bleeding and cervical incompetence. Although numerous sonograms were conducted prior to her exhibiting symptoms, none were taken on the date of her premature delivery.

$5,000,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 44 year old father of a child as a result of a failure to diagnose tongue cancer. The defendants argued that plaintiff’s cancer was advanced to the point of being untreatable at the time of plaintiff’s allegations. This Kings County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$4,500,000.00 for the family of a 36 year old married mother of one child who passed away as a result of the failure of the defendants to diagnose and treat preeclampsia in their patient who was pregnant with her second child. This Suffolk County matter was settled during jury selection.

$4,500,000.00 for a 50 year old man who suffered significant neurologic injuries following a failure to diagnose and treat an impending stroke. The plaintiff requires continued medical care for the remainder of his life. This Queens County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$4,250,000.00 for a child born at thirty-one weeks gestation (normal gestation is 40 weeks) as a result of the defendants’ failure to diagnose and treat mother’s pre-eclampsia condition. The child, now four years old, suffers from cerebral palsy and will require medical care and treatment for the remainder of his life. This Queens County matter was settled during trial.

$3,500,000.00 Duffy & Duffy has achieved a $3.5 million settlement for a 37-year-old client who suffered brain damage due to negligent medical treatment.

The client, who presented with chest pain, was improperly treated for atrial fibrillation by the attending hospital staff. This negligence led to a coma, subsequent brain damage with cognitive decline, and impaired speech, rendering him unable to work.

Duffy & Duffy’s advocacy has ensured the client and his family are financially supported as they seek to rebuild their lives post-tragedy.

$3,500,000.00 for a child who suffered from learning disabilities as a result of a failure to prevent premature delivery. This defense argued that the child’s learning disabilities were of a genetic nature. This Kings County matter settled during jury selection.

$3,250,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 35 year old married father of two children who suffered a myocardial infarction while at work. Our claim, which centered on a single office visit and an emergency room visit several hours later, was that the defendant failed to recognize the signs of an impending heart attack on this young man of Indian descent. This New York County matter was settled prior to trial.

$3,000,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $3,000,000 settlement on behalf of a family when a physician’s mismanagement of prenatal care resulted in premature birth, leading to brain damage.

$2,950,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 27 year old, married, father of two young children. In this case, the plaintiff was determined by the defendants to have died as a result of bilateral pneumonia. Our claims focused on the failure to properly treat a systemic infection including a failure to order antiviral and antibiotic therapies. This Nassau County matter settled during jury selection.

$2,900,000.00 for the below the knee amputation of a 48 year old, unmarried mother of two adult children. Our claim, which focused on the failure of the defendants to diagnose and treat peripheral vascular disease, was complicated by the plaintiff’s underlying co-morbidities which, in part, led to the peripheral vascular disease. This Queens County matter was settled prior to jury selection.

$2,800,000.00 for a child who suffered neurologic injuries following a failure to address complaints made by the child’s mother which were indicative of early labor. This Suffolk County matter settled for full insurance policy coverage prior to jury selection.

$2,750,000.00 for a 75 year old man who suffered a bed sore leading to amputation of one leg. The client passed away five years after the injury and the case centered on the suffering sustained during his life. This New York County matter settled during jury selection.

$2,500,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $2.5 million verdict on behalf of our client, a 68-year-old married mother of 2 who was severely injured and sadly passed away in a hernia surgery malpractice case.

$2,400,000.00 for a child whose pulmonary distress following birth was not timely diagnosed or treated by defendants. The infant child suffers from physical and cognitive delays as a result of the negligence. This Kings County matter settled during jury selection.

$2,400,000.00 for a child who suffered vision problems following a failure to recognize contractions experienced by the child’s mother during delivery. This matter proceeded to a jury trial, which lasted several weeks and resulted in a $1,300,000.00 verdict. This Bronx County matter settled while appeals to increase the jury award were pending.

$2,200,000.00 for a 75 year old woman who suffered neurologic injury following an endarterectomy procedure. Defendants argued that her condition following the procedure was the result of her significant underlying medical condition. This Nassau County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$2,200,000.00 & $1,500,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured two verdicts in one week on behalf of two Suffolk County families, both victims of medical malpractice and negligence.

Duffy & Duffy proved that the first plaintiff’s doctor delayed in properly diagnosing his prostate cancer and failed to refer him to a urologist. By the time the plaintiff was referred, his cancer had advanced to an incurable stage.

In the second trial, Duffy & Duffy demonstrated that an 18 year-old-plaintiff was left with severe arthritis in his shoulder when his doctor was negligent in ordering an MRI and allowed the plaintiff to continue to play football with a previous injury.

As a result, the plaintiffs were awarded $2.2 million and $1.3 million, respectively.

$2,100,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 40 year old married man who was survived by his wife and two children. It was argued that the defendant failed to properly diagnose the plaintiff’s symptoms as consistent with the impending myocardial infarction which caused his death. This Nassau County matter was settled following trial.

$2,000,000.00 for a 58 year old man who suffered neurologic injuries following a failure to diagnose an impending stroke. The plaintiff recovered well but continues to suffer neurologic injury. This Queens County matter settled during jury selection.

$1,950,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 44 year old married father of four children. Our claim was that the defendant failed to diagnose the signs of an impending heart attack in this obese man. Our client ultimately died from the undiagnosed heart attack. This Nassau County matter settled during jury selection.

Cliff Argintar secured a verdict in the amount of $1.75 Million Dollars against a Nassau County hospital for prematurely discharging a man following a one-level cervical fusion, resulting in his death.

Duffy & Duffy secured a $1.7 million verdict on behalf of a plaintiff that suffered a debilitating stroke when the surgeon negligently severed an artery during surgery to remove a tumor.

Duffy & Duffy proved that the surgeon failed to properly utilize the appropriate surgical equipment when performing the surgery, so he was unable to see the artery which was buried in the tumor. As a result, the plaintiff was confined to a nursing home, in need of constant care and assistance.

$1,650,000.00 for a 41 year old man who claimed a botched gastric bypass surgery led to an infection with multiple repair surgeries. This Suffolk County matter settled prior to trial.

$1,500,000.00 verdict against a chiropractor for failing to send a man for an MRI resulting in a delay in diagnosis of cancer and a 10% loss of chance of survival.

$1,500,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 78 year old man following a failure to diagnose lung cancer. The gentleman left surviving a handicapped middle-aged child for whom he was the primary caregiver. This Nassau County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$1,475,000.00 A verdict of $1.475 million was reached against an emergency room doctor for performing a negligent examination, resulting in a delayed diagnosis of Cauda Equina Syndrome.

$1,406,000.00 Verdict – against a commercial vehicle in a low-speed motor vehicle accident that caused a 30-year-old woman to suffer cervical spine injuries – which did not necessitate surgery

$1,400,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $1.4 million verdict on behalf of our client, a 30-year-old woman with a medical history of mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and fibromyalgia rendered disabled after being a victim of an auto accident.

$1,250,000.00 for a 52 year old man who claimed his chiropractor failed to diagnose or treat a cancerous tumor, the growth of which led to neurologic damage. This Queens County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$1,250,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 6 month old child who suffered from pneumonia. The defendants argued that the wrongful death statutes in New York State did not support such a resolution. This Nassau County matter was settled during trial.

$1,200,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 51 year old woman with no dependents who passed as a result of a failure to properly treat a patient so as to avoid a pulmonary embolism, which ultimately killed her. Defense claimed that the nature of a pulmonary embolism eliminated any claim for pain and suffering. This Bronx County matter settled following jury selection.

$1,175,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 2 year old child following a failure to diagnose meningitis. The child was treated at an emergency room where her symptoms were not timely or properly recognized. This Queens County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$1,175,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 44 year old father of three children. Our client, 360 lbs at the time of his death, experienced signs and symptoms consistent with a myocardial infarction which the defendants failed to diagnose or treat. This Suffolk County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$1,100,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 79 year old man due to undiagnosed lung cancer. It was alleged that the cancer had been evident on an earlier CT Scan which went unheeded. This Nassau County matter settled during jury selection.

$1,050,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 42 year old single man with no children where defendants failed to diagnose a melanoma for seven months. This Suffolk County matter settled following depositions. This Suffolk County matter settled following depositions.

$1,000,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 65 year old man who bled to death following a hemorrhoidectomy. This case centered on the failure of the defendants to address the bleeding following the procedure. This Suffolk County matter was resolved prior to jury selection.

$1,000,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 67 year old man following an improperly performed kidney stone removal. The case centered on the actions of the defendants following the procedure. This Nassau County matter was resolved prior to jury selection.

$1,000,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 62 year old married woman with no dependent children. Our claim focused on a failure to diagnose a mesenteric thrombus which led to a bowel obstruction which led to plaintiff’s death. This Queens County matter was settled during jury selection.

$975,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $975,000 settlement following a motor vehicle accident. The patient suffered three hours of pain in the hospital, and eventually died, following a collision with a drunken diver. The bar allowed the drunken diver to continue to drink, despite being visibly intoxicated, and drive home, resulting in the crash.

$950,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 75 year old diabetic patient who was caused to suffer diabetic ketoacidosis leading to neurologic injuries and ultimately death. This Suffolk County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$950,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $950,000 settlement on behalf of a family when a physician failed to properly adhere to proper medical standards and follow up with his patient who had been unable to tolerate an MRI, yet required additional testing. The patient initially suffered from a shoulder injury, but physicians did not perform tests in a timely manner nor correctly interpret them. The patient’s arm and shoulder were amputated, but it was too late and she died a few months later.

$800,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 68 year old man as a result of a failure to diagnose an impending heart attack. This Suffolk County matter was resolved prior to jury selection.

$775,000.00 Verdict against a cardiologist and surgeon for failing to properly manage a 78 year-old man’s Warfarin resulting in a minor stroke.

$700,000.00 for a 64 year old woman whose achilles tendon ruptured following an inappropriate administration of steroids into the tendon. Plaintiff required surgical repair which was complicated by infection. (Prior defendant had settled for an additional $700,000.00 approximately one year earlier). This Suffolk County matter settled during jury selection.

$700,000.00 for a 46 year old woman following a failure to diagnose breast cancer leading to an advancement of her cancer from stage I to stage II. The Plaintiff survived more than five years following the diagnosis of cancer. This Nassau County matter was resolved prior to jury selection.

$695,000.00 for a 52 year old woman who claimed a twenty month delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer led to a progression of the disease from Stage I to Stage II. Plaintiff fortunately remains disease free eight years after the initial failure to diagnose which constitutes a complete cure. This Bronx County matter was settled prior to jury selection.

$690,000.00 for a 65 year old woman who suffered a recto-vaginal fistula requiring surgical repair following a negligently performed gynecologic surgical procedure. This Nassau County matter was settled prior to jury selection.

$600,000.00 for a 68 year old woman who suffered leg weakness following a botched epidural procedure. The plaintiff was undergoing a relatively simple procedure when these injuries occurred. This Nassau County matter was settled before depositions.

$575,000.00 for a worker who suffered lung damage after inhaling toxic particles left by a third party contractor. The case was complicated by the need to identify specifically who was responsible for the toxic particles. This matter was settled in mediation.

$550,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 69 year old married, retired gentleman with a history of multiple diseases including high blood pressure; high cholesterol; and, diabetes. It was alleged that defendants failed to properly perform a cardiac catheterization which led to plaintiff’s death. This Queens County matter was settled during jury selection.

$550,000.00 for the wrongful death of a 75 year old widow who died during a hip replacement surgery. It was claimed that an earlier hip replacement had been negligently performed leading to the need for the fatal surgery. This Suffolk County matter settled following depositions.

$500,000.00 for a 21 year old girl who suffered peritonitis following a laproscopic cyst removal. Plaintiff required several days of hospitalization and a period of recovery. This Nassau County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$500,000.00 for a 36 year old mother of two who suffered complications associated with an infection following a total hysterectomy. It was alleged that the infection was not timely diagnosed or treated. This Queens County matter settled prior to jury selection.

$500,000.00 Duffy & Duffy secured a $500,000 settlement on behalf of a family following negligent post-operative monitoring of a 5-year-old child. A shunt revision for hydrocephalus led to wrongful death with 12 hours of conscious pain and suffering.

$450,000.00 for a middle aged woman who suffered a vesicovaginal fistula which required surgical repair all as a result of an improperly performed hysterectomy. This Nassau County matter settled following deposition.