Indiana Accident News

Government Asks Illinois Judge To Change Reward In Flesh-Eating Bacteria Malpractice Case

The Chicago Tribune has reported on a story involving a flesh-eating bacteria medical malpractice case in which the federal government is intervening. Federal prosecutors from the U.S. government are asking Judge Philip Frazier to reconsider his $8.6 million ruling for Jean Phillips, who lost use of her right arm in 2002 after a misdiagnosis.

Phillips visited Dr Dan MacAlpine because of a rash on her arm. The Scott Air Force Base doctor, who was stations in East St. Louis, Illinois, thought that Phillips was addicted to prescription drugs and told her to go home and take over-the-counter painkillers.

Unfortunately, the rash was necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating bacteria that rendered her arm "withered, lifeless and useless." Phillips now suffers very poor health, emotional problems, anxiety, insomnia, and a possible drug addiction.

Phillips is also now divorced from her Air Force Captain husband. The judge wrote a 13-page ruling that was extremely favorable to the victim, citing that "it is a sad story" and that "she had one other thing that she does not have today. She had a chance."

"Granted, there are more dramatic injuries out there involving multiple amputations and the like," Frazier wrote. "But (Phillips') situation is about as bad as it gets when one considers the impact on her work and personal life."

She was awarded $2.5 million for future disability, pain and suffering, and $1.5 million for past pain and suffering. She also received money for past disability, disfigurement, past and future lost earnings, and past and future medical costs. The government has asked for the reward to be lowered to $1.3 million, covering only past and future medical expenses and lost wages, saying that, "there is simply no evidence in the record that (Phillips) was willing or able to work even prior to her necrotizing fasciitis."

No one related to the story, from the Illinois U.S. Attorney's Office to the doctor in question to the victim, wanted to comment on the story.

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