News

January 13, 2012

Law Office of Sheldon J. Schlesinger, P.A. Attorneys Win $12.6 million Medical Malpractice Verdict Against UM School of Medicine After 10 Year Long Fight

Firm defends young girl who lost her arms and legs when doctor gave her expired vaccine

Ft. Lauderdale, FL – (January 13, 2011)—A Miami Dade Circuit Court jury today handed down a $12.6 million award to a 15-year old girl from Miramar who lost all of her limbs as a child when she was given an expired vaccine by the University of Miami School of Medicine. The verdict ends a long ordeal for Shaniah Rolle, who first filed suit 10 years ago. The trial opened on December 3, 2011 before Judge William Thomas and lasted approximately one-and-a-half months. The teen’s lead attorney was Crane Johnstone of Schlesinger Law Offices, P.A.. He was assisted in court by attorneys Charles Patrick and Sheldon J. Schlesinger, founder of the law firm.

On October 5, 1998, when Shaniah was just over two years old, she was taken by her mother to the medical school’s pediatric practice, for a wellness checkup. During that visit, a medical assistant administered a special vaccine given to people without spleens, but the vaccine had been expired for five months. The girl’s spleen, along with some other organs, had been removed as a newborn due to complications with her intestinal tract at the time of birth. Eight months later, in June of 1999, Shaniah became extremely ill and was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital. A blood culture test determined that she had a serious bacterial infection throughout her body which led to a condition that caused her body to form serious blood clots in her extremities. Then after developing dry gangrene, doctors were forced to amputate both of the child’s legs and arms above the joints.

“Shaniah did not have a spleen, so her immune system was weakened and she was vulnerable to potential deadly bacterial infections that wouldn’t affect otherwise healthy people,” said Johnstone. “Because this vaccine was five months expired, it failed to protect Shaniah from the very bacterial infection that it was designed to prevent. As a result, this amazing girl now lives without her arms and legs.”

In addition to finding the medical school negligent of medical malpractice, the jury also found Dr. Jeffrey Bosco, who treated the girl, liable as well. Several other doctors named in the suit were not found liable.

“It may have taken a long 10 years to bring this case to a jury, but Shaniah finally got justice today,” said Sheldon J. Schlesinger. “I applaud the jury’s decision.”

Sheldon J. Schlesinger, P.A. represents clients throughout the state of Florida including the cities of Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Carol City, Cooper City, Coral Gables, Coral Springs, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, Hollywood, Jupiter, Lake Worth, Miramar, Miami, Oakland Park, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Springs, Pompano Beach, and Rivera Beach

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