A geneticist fails to diagnose Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. The jury awards a $23.5 million verdict, but the couple now needs to lobby the government:
A jury determined Monday that the University of South Florida was 90 percent at fault for the “wrongful birth” of their child, Caleb, who has a genetic disorder and will require constant care for the rest of his life. The school, therefore, should pay the bulk of the $23.5 million, the jury determined.
USF, however, is a division of Florida’s government. Under state law, the most the school has to pay for lawsuits is $200,000. Payment of a jury award higher than that would require an act of the Legislature.