JURY AWARDS $12.9M AFTER NJ TROOPER MISTAKES STROKE FOR DRUNK DRIVING

A jury awarded $19.1 million to a woman who suffered permanent brain damage after a New Jersey State Police trooper mistook her stroke for intoxication and delayed emergency care. The final judgment was reduced by 40% due to a pre-existing condition, bringing the total to nearly $12.9 million.

The lawsuit, filed in 2019 in Essex County Superior Court, accused the State Police, state officials, and a rookie trooper of negligence and wrongful arrest.

The woman, a 48-year-old senior marketing executive, suffered a stroke on Oct. 17, 2017, while driving to work. She pulled over on Route 78 West and was found 30 minutes later by a trooper who noted her slurred speech, facial drooping, and confusion. Instead of seeking medical help, the trooper arrested her for suspected intoxication and brought her to a police station in handcuffs. After a two-hour delay, EMS was called, and she was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, but the damage was already done.

The woman’s attorneys argued that the trooper’s failure to recognize her medical emergency constituted gross negligence. The jury agreed, awarding damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical care, and lost income.

State Police did not respond to requests for comment.