Graves Gilbert Clinic has been serving the medical needs of patients in this area for over 85 years. We are not some faceless, multibillion dollar corporation that came to town to make a quick buck. We are a group of physicians who love south-central Kentucky and the patients we are privileged to serve every day. We have chosen to live here and raise our families here because this is a special community.
In our profession, we deal with life and death daily, and we as physicians play a role in saving lives and improving the quality of life of tens of thousands of patients every year. However, there are unfortunate cases where the outcomes are markedly different from what the patient and physician desire. In this case, we extend our deepest sympathies for the pain the Duff family suffered due to extraordinary medical complications.
We are not lawyers. We rely on legal counsel to represent us in the courts while we care for the community’s medical needs. Although no amount of money seems adequate to compensate the pain and suffering that can be experienced in this life, we feel strongly that the total verdict of $21.3 million in this case is beyond the pale of reasonable compensation. This amount is substantially higher than the maximum covered by our malpractice insurance, and the clinic simply does not have the resources to pay all of the very substantial difference. We tried every way possible to reach a reasonable compromise, including the use of neutral intermediaries and an offer of installment payments, but nothing worked. The clinic’s Chapter 11 petition was filed as a last resort on the day the judgment became final.
It’s important to understand, exorbitant judgments threaten to drive current physicians away from this wonderful community as well as discourage future physicians from practicing here and in the state.
Despite these challenges, our doors are not closing. We want to reassure our patients and staff that we remain committed to caring for the medical needs in this community for many years to come.