Our Verdicts & Settlements

The Becker Law Firm obtained a settlement of $60,700,000.00 for the family of a 16-year-old girl who suffered disabling neurologic injuries and partial limb loss after contact with a down power line. Because of this effort, our deserving client will get the very best care. This is the largest settlement in Ohio history involving physical injuries to an individual plaintiff.

Baby Doe was delivered at ABC Hospital in 1994. Her mother experienced a complication just before delivery that led to oxygen deprivation in Baby Doe. This case had previously been rejected by another prominent Cleveland law firm. At trial, Mr. Becker proved that the hospital failed to follow its own protocol for an obstetrical emergency. Prior to trial, a mock jury was utilized to help focus on the important issues of the case from a lay perspective. During trial, shadow jurors were used to follow the court proceedings. Becker adjusted his presentation during trial to meet the concerns of the shadow jurors as they arose. After two and one-half days of deliberation, the jury awarded $17,000,000.00 to Baby Doe and her parents. Because the hospital failed to make a good faith settlement offer before trial, Becker obtained an additional $8,500,000.00 in prejudgment interest. Baby Doe’s ultimate judgment is one of the largest medical malpractice verdicts in the history in the State of Ohio.

Romney Cullers, Partner with The Becker Law Firm, secured a $24 million settlement on behalf of a college athlete who sustained anoxic brain damage and permanent deficits after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest following basketball practice. Read more about the case here.

Jones vs. MetroHealth Medical Center involved a pregnant mother with a previous cesarean birth who was admitted to the Metro antepartum unit on 3 occasions around 24-25 weeks gestation for preterm labor. Each time, her labor was successfully stopped with medications and bed rest with minimal cervical changes. At 25 weeks, her baby was viable but extremely vulnerable. She should have been kept in the hospital for as long as possible to prevent any further progress in labor. Instead, she was discharged home. Six days later, her water broke and she went into active labor. Instead of granting the mother’s request for a repeat cesarean, the doctor instead chose to let the mother labor. Four hours later, the baby began showing sides of fetal distress which progressively worsened. Doctors watched the baby’s condition deteriorate for another 3 ½ hours before finally doing an emergency cesarean. The baby was born with a severe brain hemorrhage which resulted in a permanent brain injury, cerebral palsy and cognitive disability.

Becker Law Firm attorneys Michael Becker and David Skall obtained a jury verdict for $13.5 million in Akron, Ohio. The case involved a now 16- year-old boy who suffered a brain injury at the time of birth (specifically a watershed injury). The doctor held liable for causing the boy’s injury is Laura Fortner, M.D., previously of Atrium OB/GYN, Inc.

Partners Michael Becker and Dave Oeschger secured an incredible $11 Million policy limits settlement on behalf of a now 53-year old gentleman who suffered permanent and catastrophic brain injury after resident physicians failed to timely and appropriately respond to a code blue for airway compromise due to a rapidly expanding neck hematoma. Read more.

Failure to appropriately manage preeclampsia that was permitted to progress to eclampsia — the eclampsia condition caused a placental abruption and subsequent brain damage to the unborn full-term baby.

Please join The Becker Law Firm in recognizing the extraordinary work of Partner, Romney Cullers, for his settlement of $8.5 Million on behalf of the families of two men electrocuted by a downed power line. The tragedy occurred after a drunk driver struck a utility pole, bringing down a power line onto wet pavement in a residential neighborhood. The drunk driver’s passenger survived the crash, crawled out of the car, and ran toward the road where he stepped on an energized powerline and was electrocuted. A bystander who lived across the street from the crash ran to help the passenger and was electrocuted by arcing from the wet pavement. A second unrelated bystander then ran to help and was shocked by arcing electricity but survived with disfiguring electrical contact injuries. The two deaths and injuries to the second bystander occurred within 20 to 30 seconds of the powerline falling on the street. The drunk driver survived with minor injuries and was charged with several offenses including two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide.

30 y/o male married with 2 kids struck by commercial vehicle that ran a stop sign. He sustained a significant closed head injury with permanent brain damage and is a quadriplegic.

Action against hospital based on failure to give prophylactic antibiotics resulting in extreme sepsis, hypovolemic shock and brain damage in a newborn.

Romney Cullers secured an extraordinary settlement of $8,000,000.00 on behalf of a now seven-year-old child who suffered catastrophic brain damage at the time of birth. Read more.

Sara was a full-term fetus and the first child for her parents. She went to the ABC Hospital for the management of her labor which was induced. The obstetrical nurse mismanaged the induction over a 10 to 12 hour time period which resulted in severe asphyxia and permanent brain injury. Sara went on to sustain profound cerebral palsy and severe development delays.

The Becker Law Firm recognizes partners Michael Becker and Romney Cullers for their outstanding settlement of $6 Million on behalf of a premature baby who suffered brain injuries after being dropped on the floor by hospital personnel.

The baby boy was born by emergency Cesarean at 26 weeks of pregnancy and weighed less than two pounds. He was ejected from a transport warmer cart onto the floor during transport to the NICU shortly after delivery. When the incident occurred, the baby was being moved from the operating room to the NICU by a transport team that included a pediatrician and hospital nursing staff. Prior to transport, a protective side panel had been removed from the warmer cart.The pediatrician claimed that the panel, if in place, would have made it too difficult for her to reach into the warmer to manage the baby’s airway during transport because she was a small person and could not easily reach into the warmer. During transport, a member of the nursing staff inadvertently pushed the warmer into an obstruction in a doorway causing it to stop abruptly. The baby was then thrown from the warmer through the opening created by the missing panel and onto the floor. The baby had a rough NICU course which included significant respiratory distress and bleeding into the brain.

The child survived but now has significant neurologic deficits and requires ongoing nursing and attendant care. The defendant hospital system contended that the baby’s profound brain damage was the result of the natural progression of hemorrhage associated with extreme prematurity and likely unrelated to trauma from the fall. Proceeds from the settlement will allow the boy’s family to provide for the ongoing care he will require for the rest of his life.

In November 2023, a medical negligence settlement of $4.75 million was reached in a tragic case, handled by David Skall from The Becker Law Firm. The lawsuit detailed that a newborn girl, now 4 years old, suffered permanent brain injury and severe disability due to severe trauma and oxygen deprivation during birth. The attending obstetrician and nurse were accused of failing to respond appropriately to initial signs of fetal distress. Instead of opting for a timely and safe C-section, they excessively used a vacuum extractor in an improper attempt to force vaginal delivery.

The mother, following a healthy pregnancy, was admitted for labor induction with Pitocin. Over the next 10 hours, the baby's heart rate transitioned from healthy to concerning, indicating increasing decelerations. Despite clear signs of the baby weakening and becoming less tolerant to labor stressors, the providers persisted with vaginal delivery using a vacuum extractor. Two different vacuums were applied 8 times, with at least 15-20 separate pulls, and "popped off" at least 5 times during 27 minutes of use. It took an additional 28 minutes after failed vacuum attempts to complete delivery vaginally.

The increasing stress and trauma led to critically low oxygen levels in the baby. Born severely depressed with multiple fractures, she required full resuscitation and urgent transfer to a children's hospital. Hypothermic cooling was administered to limit impending brain damage. In the days following delivery, she suffered seizures, and subsequent brain radiology revealed disabling structural injuries from the complicated and traumatic birth. The settlement reflects the gravity of the case and the lifelong challenges faced by the child.

In June 2023, Attorney David Skall and the Becker Law Firm secured justice for a 10-year-old boy who suffered life-altering consequences due to medical negligence.

A newborn boy, now 10 years old, suffered brain injury and cerebral palsy as the result of delayed delivery and oxygen deprivation at birth. As opposed to performing a timely / safe C-section, the lawsuit set forth that the attending obstetrician and nurse failed to appropriately respond to worsening fetal distress and used a vacuum extractor excessively in an improper effort to complete vaginal delivery.

Following a healthy pregnancy, the mother was admitted for induction of labor with Pitocin that caused the baby’s heart rate to progressively deteriorate over the next 12+ hours. This trend and signs of mild fetal infection suggested that the baby was becoming less tolerant of the stressors of labor, insufficiently oxygenated, and susceptible to injury. The providers failed to appreciate the risks of ongoing stress and, instead, continued toward vaginal delivery with use of a vacuum extractor as opposed to opting for C-section delivery. The vacuum was then applied as many as 8 times, “popped off” twice during 16 minutes of use, and it took an additional 18 minutes to deliver vaginally after the failed attempts with vacuum assistance.

By then it was too late. The increasing stress of the labor and trauma of the vacuum had caused the baby’s oxygen levels to become critically low. He was born severely depressed and required full resuscitation. He went on to suffer seizures in the days following delivery and radiology of his brain soon after showed the disabling structural damage that resulted from the severe, birth-related loss of oxygen.

The $4.55 million settlement not only brings just financial relief to the affected family, but also underscores the accountability of healthcare professionals to protect the well-being of both mothers and newborns during the birthing process.

Please join The Becker Law Firm in congratulating partner and trial lawyer, Romney Cullers for his record-setting verdict of $4,531,700.50 in The Court of Claims of Ohio. The case was tried on behalf of the family of a young man who died of a drug overdose after discharge from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Pain management physicians treated him in the hospital with high-dose opioids following surgery on his lower back. Despite knowing the young man had been addicted to opioid pain medication years earlier, they discharged him without any plan to wean him from the opioids he had been given in the hospital and then provided him with a prescription for high-dose opioids at the time of discharge without any plans for follow up. He took the medication at home, as prescribed, and died 36 hours later. The coroner who investigated the circumstances surrounding the young man’s death testified that the dosages of pain medication given by the Wexner Medical Center providers were the highest he had ever seen and were sufficient to induce death when taken exactly as prescribed. The young man was “opioid naïve” because he had not used opioids for many years. His body was then overwhelmed by the massive doses prescribed by The Ohio State University providers. The young man is survived by his wife of 16 years and three young children. The verdict is believed to be among the largest, if not the largest, in The Court of Claims of Ohio history. The firm also wishes to acknowledge the efforts of co-counsel, Francis Sweeney, who participated in the trial with Mr. Cullers.

The Plaintiff was born at 27 weeks gestation. The preterm birth was not avoidable. At birth, the on-call obstetrician at the community hospital, while in the process of cutting the umbilical cord, severed the child’s great toe. As a result of the severing of the great toe, the premature child sustained major fluctuations in blood pressure and ultimately developed mild hemiplegia and mild developmental delays. Michael Becker successfully obtained a $4.5 million dollar settlement.

A complex endovascular procedure performed by a surgeon with inadequate training and experience resulting in blood clots to the brain, stroke and paralysis.

The Becker Law Firm secured a $4.35M settlement on behalf of the family of a 42-year-old man who underwent a shave biopsy of a mole on his right forearm in 2015. The defendant dermatopathologist negligently misevaluated the tissue, reporting it as benign when it was in fact early Stage 1 Melanoma. The missed diagnosis resulted in a 3.5 year delay of the correct diagnosis, and allowed our client’s cancer to progress from highly curable to Stage IV metastatic disease. He passed away within 6 months of his 2018 diagnosis, leaving behind a wife and three children.

Victoria was a full-term fetus whose mother, during the intrapartum period, sustained a partial abruption of her placenta. The obstetrical caregivers failed to timely recognize the maternal hemorrhage and intervene to protect Victoria prior to her ultimate delivery. Victoria was born severely anemic and asphyxiated at birth. She developed severe cerebral palsy and profound developmental delays.

Casey was a full-term fetus whose mother developed signs and symptoms of uterine rupture that were not timely diagnosed by the obstetrical care providers. Casey ultimately was born with severe birth asphyxia and went on to develop mild cerebral palsy and mild developmental delays.

This is a full-term fetus whose mother appeared in labor with a fever, a GBS (group beta strep) unknown. The obstetrical caregivers negligently failed to provide intra-partum and immediate post-partum antibiotics to Jennifer who ultimately developed severe meningitis. Jennifer went on to sustain profound cerebral palsy and developmental delays.

A fatal bus accident case involving a 69-year-old woman who was struck from behind and killed by a city bus while walking in a crosswalk on Public Square in Cleveland. The victim was found to be conscious after the collision, but suffered catastrophic brain damage that caused her to lose consciousness and be on life support for 20 days until her death. The bus company admitted the bus driver had been negligent, that the company was responsible for the death, and that the victim did not cause or contribute to the accident. A $4M settlement was secured on behalf of the woman’s family.

The Becker Law Firm is pleased to congratulate partner Romney Cullers for his resolution of wrongful death claims on behalf of parents grieving the loss of their 7-month-old daughter.  The claims were settled for $3.8 million last week and were the result of medical negligence arising from open heart surgery to correct a congenital heart defect.  The little girl was born with a structural abnormality of the heart that affects normal blood flow.  The defect is rare and must be repaired surgically during the early months of life.  The surgery is complicated and involves the closure of a hole in the heart and the enlargement of a valve by cutting away obstructive muscle tissue.  During the procedure, the surgeon must paralyze the child’s heart and maintain the child’s circulation with cardiac bypass technology.  Mr. Cullers, with assistance of the Firm’s in-house medical personnel, determined that the child suffered a global ischemic heart injury as the direct result of the surgical team’s failure to properly infuse medications used to paralyze the heart.  The child’s heart was rendered non-functional during the surgery and she unfortunately died in the hospital.  It is our hope that these parents will find solace and somehow move forward after this horrific tragedy.  The Firm also wishes to acknowledge the efforts of co-counsel Steve Goldberg for his efforts in bringing this case to resolution.

Partners Michael Becker and David Skall settled a Federal Tort Claims Act case for $3.76 million for the family of a child injured at birth. Read more.

Attorney Romney Cullers obtained a $3.75 Million settlement for the family of a 56-year-old man who died of a fatal cardiovascular condition several hours after discharge from an emergency room at a community hospital in Ohio. Read more.

The Becker Law Firm secured a $3.625M settlement for the family of a newborn who suffered permanent brain damage and cerebral palsy when the obstetrician and nurse managing labor failed to properly respond to signs of fetal distress, allowed the baby’s heart rate to remain too low for too long, and delayed in performing an emergency C-section. When defendants disputed liability, Partner Romney Cullers worked with multiple experts to demonstrate that the pattern of brain injury shown on MRIs were not consistent with those caused by infection, and were more likely the result of oxygen deprivation during labor.

Action against community hospital based on obstetrical nurses’ failure to appreciate fetal distress resulting in severe asphyxia and brain damage in a newborn.

Our attorney team at The Becker Law Firm is proud to announce that we obtained a $3.25 million settlement in favor of our clients whose child suffered a wrongful death due to oxycodone. Read more.

This was a full-term fetus whose mother appeared at the ABC Hospital with likely signs of chorioamnionitis. Notwithstanding evidence of fetal distress, there was not a timely cesarean section which resulted in severe birth asphyxia to Damien. The child went on to develop severe cerebral palsy and profound developmental delays. The obstetrical care team was sued based on the failure to appreciate the fetal distress and to intervene.

Attorney Romney Cullers obtained a $2.9 million settlement on behalf of a young boy who experienced a serious brain injury at birth. The boy’s mother suffered from a placental abruption while pregnant, but because negligent nurses delayed her care, her son was deprived of necessary oxygen prior to delivery. As a result, he now suffers from permanent developmental disabilities. Our firm proudly fought for justice on this family’s behalf and secured the settlement they need to help with their son’s ongoing therapy and medical services.

This case involved a 23-year-old woman whose attending obstetrician failed to appreciate severe pre-eclampsia. The plaintiff ultimately went on to sustain eclampsia (seizures) which resulted in her death. Her child survived in a healthy state after emergency cesarean section. The attending obstetrician was sued under failure to timely diagnose pre-eclampsia.

Mom appears at ABC Hospital for the delivery of her second child. Her first child was born in a foreign country and the type of uterine scar was unknown. During labor, mom demonstrated signs and symptoms of a uterine rupture. The obstetrical caregivers were sued based on their negligently failing to appreciate uterine rupture and intervene via emergency cesarean section. Baby Elias has severe cerebral palsy and profound developmental delays.

Mother with multiple risk factors for shoulder dystocia was not informed of potential risks of vaginal delivery and was not offered an elective cesarean. Instead, labor was induced and managed by residents who failed to assure that an attending obstetrician was present for the delivery, notwithstanding a one-hour second stage. A severe shoulder dystocia occurred. Delivery note clearly stated resident’s use of traction followed by 180-degree rotation followed by more traction resulting in permanent bilateral brachial plexus injuries.

A wrongful death case over the drowning death of a 12-year-old boy who had been attending a summer camp in rural Ohio. Defendants, including camp management and several camp employees, were alleged to have been reckless in administering a swimming test on the camp’s premises. The suit also alleged lapses in training of lifeguards involved in the incident, violations of national standards for safely operating a youth camp which offered swimming activities, and camp management knowingly taking risks that placed children in danger. A $2.5M settlement was secured on behalf of the boy’s family.

Sarah was a full-term fetus who developed acute asphyxia in the last part of her labor. The obstetrical caregivers were sued based on the failure to timely appreciate her fetal distress and to intervene to avoid her birth asphyxia. Sara has moderate cerebral palsy with mild developmental delays.

Child was a full-term fetus whose mother had gestational diabetes. Plaintiff was in labor over a number of days and ultimately developed severe asphyxia in utero. The obstetrical caregivers were sued for failing to timely appreciate the asphyxia process and to intervene via emergency cesarean section. Child has mild cerebral palsy and moderate developmental delays.

Wrongful death action against obstetrician and hospital based on a failure to timely diagnose and treat pre-eclampsia in a 29-year-old woman leading to HELLP syndrome and fatal DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulopathy).