A Green Bay jury has awarded the family of a deceased farmworker $3.7 million Friday in a medical malpractice lawsuit. GustavoEspinal-Santos died January 1, 2004, after contracting a fungal infectioncalled blastomycosis.

Espinal-Santos visited Bellin Family Medical Center inBonduel twice in December 2003 complaining of illness. He was seen by physicianassistants who determined that he had pneumonia. The lawsuit claimed that thephysicians failed to run basic diagnostic tests, specifically X-rays. When Espinal-Santoswas admitted to St. Vincent Hospital on December 23, 2003, he was diagnosedwith blastomycosis, but it was too late to save his life.

After a four-day trial and almost eight hours ofdeliberation, the jury found Bellin Health System and supervising physician Dr.Peri Aldrich negligent. Attorneys for the Espinal-Santos family said the awardwill be reduced due to award caps in Wisconsin law.

If you or someone you know has been injured by medicalmalpractice please contact the Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Lawyers ofLowenthal & Abrams at 215-329-3511.