Ouch!

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, 53 year old Ellwood Georgia resident John Howard consulted with the Boston Men's Health Center (Center) in 2006 for issues relating to ED. The Center, which assists men with reproductive, sexual and prostate issues, operates 22 clinics in the U.S. and Puerto Rico also under the name Boston Medical Group.

At the Center, Howard was injected with a drug that included papaverine – which is used to increase blood flow. Following the injection, he purchased over $1,200 worth of additional doses to take home with him – allegedly with instructions on how, when and where in the genitals to inject himself. Unfortunately, something went wrong and he developed priaprism – which causes permanent damage and scarring of the genitals.

Ouch!

$9M Jury Award Howard hired a DeKalb County GA personal injury lawyer and filed a lawsuit against the company alleging that it was negligent. A DeKalb County jury agreed and awarded him $750,000 in compensatory damages and another $8,250,000 in punitive damages. The Constitution reported that other personal injury lawsuits have been filed against the company, but both were settled out of court for undisclosed amounts.

How are personal injury damages calculated?

Damages in a personal injury lawsuit can consist of economic, non-economic and punitive damages. Here's what each means:

• Economic damages. Also known as special damages, these generally compensate injured victims for quantifiable economic losses such as medical expenses and lost wages. They may also provide for future medical expenses and lost wages for permanent injuries.
• Non economic damages. Also known as general damages, these generally compensate injured victims for things such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and emotional anguish.
• Punitive damages. These are awarded to punish a defendant whose behavior was intentional, egregious, willful, wanton or malicious.

Some states place limitations on damages. However, an experienced personal injury attorney can explain how the laws in your state work. It's also important to keep in mind that each state has a different statute of limitations, or time period, in which a lawsuit must be brought. So, if you think you may have a lawsuit, it's important to contact an attorney as soon as possible.