A Cumberland County jury has awarded a Bowdoinham man more than $5 million in damages after a two-week-long medical malpractice trial.
Joshua Desjardins, now 32, spent 31 days on life support and suffered several strokes in late 2018 and early 2019 after he was misdiagnosed at a walk-in clinic run by a Brunswick hospital, jurors found.
In March 2021, Desjardins sued Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick and BlueWater Emergency Partners LLC, which the hospital contracted with to provide medical providers in its walk-in clinic and emergency department in 2018.
The Bowdoinham man alleged that he was misdiagnosed at the walk-in clinic on Dec. 26, 2018. Three days later, when Desjardins went to the hospital’s emergency room, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and respiratory failure and was taken by LifeFlight to Maine Medical Center in Portland, the complaint said.
While on life support in the Portland hospital, Desjardins suffered numerous strokes, which have left him with permanent deficits, according to his attorney, Travis Brennan of Lewiston.
He praised the jury’s decision in a statement released Friday.
“We appreciate the jurors’ careful attention throughout this two-week medical malpractice trial, as well as their discernment in reaching this important and just verdict,” Brennan said. “Although Josh is blessed to have survived, the defendants’ negligence has left him with life-altering injuries with which he will struggle for the rest of his life.”
Attorneys for the defendants did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The case was the first civil jury trial held at the Cumberland County Courthouse since early 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic severely limited court matters.
