Baltimore County jury awards $1.2M verdict in medical negligence case

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A Baltimore County jury on Oct. 9 awarded a $1.2 million verdict to the daughter of a woman who bled to death on the operating table in February 2023.

Angela Faulcon, 77, hemorrhaged at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center during a surgery to treat early-stage rectal cancer.

Lawyers for her daughter, Andrea Faulcon, argued the colorectal surgeon breached the standards of care by failing to prepare for and respond to the bleeding.

Tara Clary, of the firm Brockstedt Mandalas Federico, argued the hospital failed to have adequate equipment, the surgeon did not plan and prepare for a foreseeable complication, and didn’t follow the right steps once that complication arose.

“She would have had years left on this earth,” Clary told The Daily Record. “Once the bleeding happened, (the surgeon) went through some — but not all — of the steps that can be utilized to stop the bleeding.”

The verdict was against GBMC, not the surgeon, Clary noted. The cap on noneconomic damages applied to the verdict, limiting it to $875,000.

The jury deliberated for about four hours after a four-day trial in Baltimore County Circuit Court in Towson. Judge Colleen Cavanaugh presided over the trial.

GBMC is considering an appeal.

“While GBMC does not comment on specific patient cases or ongoing legal matters, we take matters like this case seriously and remain committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to every patient we serve,” spokeswoman Krystina Wales stated in an email.

“In regard to the appeal, we are actively meeting to review our options and have not made a determination at this time.”

The hospital was represented by Michelle Dian, Saamia Dasti and Taylor Deer of Waranch & Brown.

“So often, we minimize the passing of someone who was elderly from medical negligence,” Clary said. “She did, in fact, have life left in her.”