Won an $18.2 million jury verdict against WakeMed for a brachial plexus injury, one of the largest verdicts of its kind in the country
Case Title:
Naqah Maxwell Lake, a minor, by and through his Guardian ad Litem, Christopher Duggan, and Laurel Browne, individually v. WakeMed
Jurisdiction:
Wake County Superior Court, North Carolina
Summary:
In July 2026, G&E’s birth injury attorneys won a jury verdict against WakeMed in a brachial plexus injury case on behalf of a 6-year old boy. Naqah Lake was injured during delivery in September 2019 after defendants failed to use all available or appropriate maneuvers to manage his delivery. He was born with permanent nerve damage to his left brachial plexus, which rendered his left arm, shoulder, and hand useless for life. Over a five-week trial, G&E fought to recover damages for Naqah’s medical expenses and diminished capacity for him to earn income, as well as pain and suffering and emotional distress due to the defendants’ negligence. The $18.2 million unanimous jury verdict is one of the largest medical malpractice verdicts ever in North Carolina, and the largest award in a case involving a brachial plexus injury.
Outcome:
- $18.2 million jury verdict included $2.2 million for economic damages and $16 million for non-economic damages
- One of the largest medical malpractice verdicts reached in North Carolina
- The largest award in a case involving a brachial plexus injury
