Brooklyn Hospital Center Pays Out Massive Malpractice Settlement

The settled out of court yesterday with a woman who had her hands and feet amputated in 2008.

Tabitha Mullings of East New York was awarded $9.4 million by the hospital and $8.5 million from the city, amounting to a total of $17.9 million.

Two doctors from the hospital contributed an unspecified amount to the settlement, which stemmed from a series of hospital visits Cummings made in 2008.

In a statement given to Patch yesterday, the hospital explained why its lawyers chose to settle this case out of court.

"In light of the profound nature of Ms. Mullings' injuries and that such injuries would garner jury sympathy and likely preclude a defense verdict, the Hospital opted to resolve this matter amicably," the statement read.

After being sent home from the emergency room on September 13, 2008 with a diagnosis of kidney stones and a prescription for painkillers, Mullings called 911 twice in the following days but was told to stay home by paramedics who determined that she did not need further care. By the time she rushed back to the hospital two days later, she was suffering from a sepsis infection that had progressed into gangrene.

Mullings fell into a coma shortly after returning to Brooklyn Hospital. She awoke two weeks later to find herself blind in one eye and missing her hands and feet.

"Sometimes I can't believe it's me laying here," she told the Daily News from the hospital in 2008. "At first I didn't want to live anymore, but I've got three kids and I'm their mother and their father."

Despite yesterday's settlement, the hospital maintains that its medical staff did nothing wrong.

"Irrespective of the decision to settle, the Hospital's medical care was entirely appropriate and within accepted medical practice," the statement reads. "Further, its decision to discharge Ms. Mullings and the discharge instructions were 100 percent consistent with the written guidelines of the American Urological Association."

As for Mullings, she is simply happy to finally be able to move on with her life.

"Now that the lawsuit is behind me, I look forward to going on with my life and caring for my children the best I can,” she told the Daily News yesterday. “I pray what happens to me never happens to anyone again."