An elderly Maine man who was injured during a medical procedure two years ago was recently awarded a  $360,000 personal injury settlement while his wife was granted an additional $40,000 for her suffering. 76-year-old Rodney Sawtelle suffered a punctured ulna nerve when a Franklin Memorial Hospital nurse inserted a needle into his forearm during a hospital visit. Maine personal injury attorney Scott Lynch said that the injury left his client without the ability to use his right hand, which consequently prohibited him from performing duties at the heavy equipment garage that he owned and operated.  
 
A SunJournal.com story said that the Maine jury took about 2½ hours to come to a 6-3 decision in favor of the right-handed Sawtelle, who also cannot effectively feed himself according to Lynch. The jury determined that Sawtelle was entitled to compensation for his inability to perform his job, which requires the use of both hands to operate heavy equipment. The jury kicked in $40,000 to Frances Sawtelle, who suffered through the loss of her husband’s wages.
 
The story said that the couple was happy with the Maine elderly abuse personal injury settlement. Married for 52 years, the couple added that the injury continues to affect their lives. The story added that the identity of the nurse was not immediately available, and the hospital was not reached for comment at the announcement of the settlement.