COLIN GOURLEY

Valley, Nebraska

Fifteen-year-old Colin Gourley of Valley, Nebraska, suffered terrible complications at birth as a result of a doctor’s negligence. He has cerebral palsy. He cannot walk. He could not speak until he was five. Irregular brain waves and the amount of time he has spent in a wheelchair have affected his bone growth. He has been through five surgeries and needs to sleep in a cast every night to prevent further orthopedic problems. A jury ruled that Colin was a victim of medical negligence, but the Nebraska Supreme Court upheld a Nebraska law that severely cut this jury verdict to one-quarter of what Colin will need. As a result, Colin will have to rely on state assistance for the rest of his life.