County settles Harbor-UCLA medical negligence cases for $4 million

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved two settlements Tuesday with former Harbor-UCLA Medical Center patients in medical negligence cases.

In one, the county signed off on a $3.5-million settlement to a patient who had a stroke after giving birth. Juana Montoya delivered a baby at the Torrance-area hospital in November 2008. The day after being discharged, Montoya was brought back to the hospital with bleeding in her brain, according to the county.

Montoya, who suffered brain damage, alleged the hospital failed to provide adequate medical care.

In the other, the county approved a $650,000 settlement to Brandon Gill, 27, who came to the medical center after suffering a head injury at work in 2009. The hospital staff monitored his neurological condition and gave him medication before performing a surgical procedure to reduce the pressure inside his skull, but he still had some neurological injuries, according to the county.

Gill charged that the county should have done the procedure earlier.

Last year, supervisors approved a $1.175-million settlement to another Harbor-UCLA patient in a medical negligence case. Amber Dunn was treated after a motor vehicle accident in late 2008, according to county documents.

During a diagnostic procedure, “an unexpected complication occurred whereby one of the patient’s blood vessels was injured." The injury caused further complications, but she was treated and discharged a few days later, according to the county.

ALSO:

Teen birth rate drops in California  

Muppets to get star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Jurors speak out after 'Desperate Housewives' trial

 --Anna Gorman

twitter.com/annagorman

Photo: Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in 1995. Credit:  Los Angeles Times