Lauderdale County Jury Awards $7 Million in Medical Negligence Case Against Radiologist
A Lauderdale County jury awarded $7 million to local dentist Sunitha Madasu after finding radiologist Donald J. Bowling and Lauderdale Radiology Group negligent for failing to identify a blood clot on her CT scan, leading to permanent brain injuries that could have been prevented with proper diagnosis.
A Lauderdale County jury has awarded $7 million to local dentist Sunitha Madasu in a medical negligence case against radiologist Donald J. Bowling, M.D. and Lauderdale Radiology Group, L.L.P. The verdict, returned on September 24, 2025, followed a 10-day trial where evidence showed that Dr. Bowling failed to identify a critical finding on Madasu's head CT scan that would have prevented her subsequent catastrophic brain injury.
The case centered on events that began when Madasu, a 46-year-old dentist who had practiced in Lauderdale County for over two decades, visited the Emergency Department at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital experiencing severe headache, nausea and vomiting. After a physical examination, the emergency room doctor ordered a CT scan of her head, which was interpreted by Dr. Bowling as "Normal."
Evidence presented at trial revealed that the CT images actually showed a bright spot indicating an acute blood clot visible on twenty consecutive slices of the imaging. Medical testimony established that this finding represented the telltale sign of a blood vessel clot that any reasonably careful diagnostic radiologist should have identified and reported. Despite this clear evidence on the scan, Dr. Bowling neither described nor mentioned the concerning area in his report.
Relying on Dr. Bowling's normal interpretation, the emergency room doctor discharged Madasu from the hospital. Three days later, she developed a massive brain bleed that resulted in lifelong, debilitating injuries. At trial, the defendants and their experts ultimately admitted that the bright spot seen on Madasu's head CT probably was a clot and acknowledged that if the finding had been reported, a simple follow-up test would have confirmed the diagnosis.
The case was tried by attorneys from MARSH | RICKARD | BRYAN, with Ty Brown and J.D. Marsh leading the trial team. Local attorney Kerrian Jaudon provided additional counsel during the proceedings. During closing arguments, the plaintiff's attorneys emphasized that the defendants' failure to meet basic standards of medical care had devastating consequences for their client.
Medical experts testified that had Dr. Bowling identified and reported the suspicious finding, Madasu would have received appropriate medication and made a full, uneventful recovery. Instead, she suffered permanent injuries that robbed her of her independence, mobility, and professional dental career. The jury found that Dr. Bowling was working as an agent of Lauderdale Radiology when he interpreted the CT scan.
Attorney Ty Brown stated that the jury's verdict enforced basic standards of safe medical care and defended Madasu's dignity while holding the defendants accountable for the profound losses she suffered. J.D. Marsh expressed gratitude to the twelve jury members who listened to the evidence, followed the law, and delivered what he characterized as a truthful verdict.
The $7 million award represents one of the larger medical malpractice verdicts in recent Lauderdale County history and underscores the critical importance of accurate radiological interpretation in emergency medical settings. The case highlights how failure to identify and communicate potentially life-threatening findings can transform a treatable condition into a permanent disability.