The Verdict Ethics

“The Verdict” is a movie that deals with medical and legal ethics. Frank Gavin is an alcoholic who hasn’t won any of his cases in the past three years. Mickey, his former partner, gives him a medical malpractice case that is sure to settle for a large amount of money. The case of Deborah Ann Kay, a mother who was given anesthetic when she had just eaten inhaled her vomit and is now in a coma. The Donaheys, her sister and brother in law are hoping for a good settlement and Frank assures them that they have a strong case. While the case is going on he meets Laura, a woman at a bar who he falls in love with. Frank goes to visit Deborah Ann Kay in the hospital and is affected by her condition. He meets with the defendants who run the Catholic hospital where the incident happened. The defendants offer $210,000 to settle out of court but Frank declines. Frank feels this is his chance to do something right. Everyone was not happy with Frank declining the settlement. A lot of things start to go wrong for Frank in the case: the brother in law finds out how much the settlement was and how he denied it, his expert medical witness disappears, his substitute witness testimony is questioned, the defendant attorney Concannon has an expert legal team, and the Judge favors Concannon. Mickey finds out Laura is a spy for the opposing side and Frank punches her in the face. Frank then finds Kaitlin Costello Pryce, a nurse that was asked to change her notes on the admittance form after the incident to hide Dr. Towler’s error. Deborah Ann Kay had eaten 1 hour before admittance and no anesthetic is supposed to be given if so. Even though the testimony is not supposed to be used because of legal technicalities it stuns the courtroom. Frank then tells the jury a closing statement about justice and truth. Frank wins the case and the jury wants to increase the award.

Frank Gavin has a mixture of Utilitarian and Deontological standpoints in the movie. In the beginning of the movie