'The damage was done'
Jury rules that Bears physician improperly treated Hoge
Click here for more on this story
Merrill Hoge has been awarded $1,550,000 for improper treatment of a concussion by physician John J. Munsell.
NEW YORK (CNNSI.com) -- Sports Illustrated legal analyst Lester Munson reports that a jury in Waukegan, Ill., today found former Chicago Bears physician John J. Munsell guilty of improper treatment of a concussion and awarded former Bears running back Merrill Hoge $1,550,000. The award came after a two-week trial and 9 1/2 hours of deliberation.
Hoge first suffered a concussion in a 1994 preseason game. According to Hoge's attorney, Bob Fogel, Munsell sent Hoge to a hospital for a CAT scan but never again examined or treated the player. A week later, Bears trainers told Hoge he was ready to play. After another concussion in the fifth game of the 1994 season, Hoge was hospitalized and never played again.
"The standard of care requires a neurological examination before sending an athlete back onto the playing field," Fogel said. "The team doctor never even looked at Merrill. He turned him over to the trainers, and the damage was done." |
