Hunter
06/08/21
The state of Iowa has agreed to pay out $5.7 million to settle eight accusations of discrimination and negligence at its state run universities.
According to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the University of Iowa Physicians Group will pay $2.7 million of that total due to medical negligence suits at the Hospitals and Clinics. The biggest settlement went to an Iowa City couple who accused physicians of negligence in the birth of their daughter. They claimed that the mother, who was 38 weeks pregnant, was not offered the option of a non-labor primary caesarean delivery. As a result, the woman went through days of labor and the baby suffered fetal distress and low oxygen before delivery. The child was discharged with permanent brain damage. The couple will receive a settlement of $3.5 million.
Other UI-related payments include an age discrimination suit filed by three University police officers who claim they were let go because of budget concerns while younger employees got raises. They sued Public Safety Director Scott Beckner, Associate Director David Visin and Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations Rod Lehnertz, and the partial settlement totaling $150,000 for the three officers includes the dropping of Visin and Lehnertz from the suit.
A University of Iowa student was awarded $25,000 for a May 2018 moped accident that was caused by her slipping on diesel fuel that spilled out of a Cambus when the fuel cap was left off. Hannah Mohr had neck, shoulder and hand injuries, road rash, and $900 in damage to her moped.
The Gazette says that the state has paid from its general fund $4.67 million to settle lawsuits or comply with judgments against state entities so far this fiscal year, which ends June 30th.