Alabama Jury Awards $4M in Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

A Walker County, Ala., jury has awarded a Carbon Hill woman millions of dollars in a medical malpractice suit against a doctor who mistook symptoms that led to her husband’s heart attack for a stomach illness.

Al.com reported Wednesday the jury awarded Donna Hallmark $4 million in the suit against a Walker Baptist Medical Center emergency room doctor. Hallmark’s husband died after visiting the hospital in January 2008.

The suit said Hallmark’s husband, Terry Hallmark, complained of stomach and chest pain for three days and was released from the emergency room after a few hours. Hallmark collapsed clutching his chest Jan. 15 and died.

The doctor’s attorney Edward Jackson says it would be premature to comment on the case until he and his client decide what they’ll do going forward.