$3.3 million in settlements OKd

County supervisors approved a series of settlements totaling more than $3.3 million this week, putting to rest three medical negligence cases and one police misconduct claim.

Supervisors approved an $850,000 settlement with the mother of Carl Williams, who was killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies after a controversial chase.

An $850,000 settlement was approved in a medical negligence case brought by Jenny Fernandez, who sued after she went to Dollarhide Health Center in Compton in May 2004 for contraceptives.

Fernandez did not know she was pregnant and said the Dollarhide staff neglected to run the appropriate tests, including a pregnancy test.

“As a result of such negligent care, Jenny Fernandez did not know that she was pregnant and as such, did not receive prenatal care, leading to injuries suffered by both Jenny” and her newborn son the lawsuit alleged.

Supervisors also agreed to pay $762,500, plus $226,327 in medical bills, to Griselda Maldonado, who alleged that a lack of communication between a nurse and her doctor in July 2005 resulted in injuries to her baby during birth.

In another settlement, which cost the county $595,000, the family of Heidi Verdekel contended that officials at the Twin Towers jail in March 2005 failed to promptly realize that she had had an epileptic seizure or take her to the hospital for treatment. Verdekel, 29, died at County-USC Medical Center.

-- Jean-Paul Renaud