$5M settlement in hysterectomy trial

September 17, 2009 (CHICAGO) Forty-one-year-old Sharon Virginelli says it happened following a C-section during the birth of her daughter. Her obstetrician at Northwestern Memorial performed the hysterectomy, telling the mother that it was necessary to stop bleeding.

Virginelli believed that a less drastic option could have been used and the jury agreed.

"There's a huge piece of me that is missing, and being able to have more children is something I wanted to do. It's been difficult," said Virginelli.

This was the second time this case was tried. The first time, a jury found in favor of the doctor, but the judge ordered a new trial.

"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about what I went through, the pain and just the memories of all that went on," said Virginelli.

The lawyer for the doctor claims the hysterectomy was necessary to prevent the woman from bleeding to death.

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