An Ohio jury awarded $8.2 million Wednesday to a man who became paralyzed due to medical malpractice. In 1999, Rick Kaszar ruptured several discs in his back while loading a box of catalogues into his car trunk. As a result, his spinal cord was compressed, blocking blood flow to the area. Upon Kaszar's admittance to EMH Regional Medical Center in Elyria, Ohio, the attending physician, Dr. Allan Starr, mistakenly diagnosed him with torn stomach muscles. By the time physicians properly identified the man's injuries, Kaszar's spinal cord had been deprived of oxygen, which led to paralysis below his waist.

Kaszar sued EMH, Starr and Acute Care Specialists Inc., a company that supplied the hospital with emergency-room physicians. Starr and EMH settled their suits on the second day of jury selection leaving Acute as the sole defendant.