A Florida appeals court on Wednesday overturned the $200 million jury verdict against Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in the high-profile Maya Kowalski negligence case — a lawsuit that drew global attention and inspired a Netflix documentary.
In its Oct. 29 ruling, Florida’s 2nd District Court of Appeal stated that “the trial court’s erroneous interpretation and application of section 39.203(1)(a), Florida Statutes (2016), and the immunity afforded thereunder, as well as the trial court’s erroneous denial of JHACH’s motions for directed verdicts and JHACH’s motion for a new trial require reversal of the final judgment.”
In 2023, a Sarasota County jury ruled in favor of the Kowalski family, awarding $211 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages after Maya’s mother, Beata Kowalski, died by suicide in 2017. The trial judge later reduced the total award to $213 million.
The case sparked intense debate about the responsibilities of healthcare professionals when child abuse is suspected — and the extent of hospital liability and malpractice coverage in complex medical and parental rights situations.
Maya Kowalski, then 10 years old, was admitted to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg in 2016 suffering from severe pain and complex regional pain syndrome. Her mother, Beata, a registered nurse, pressed doctors to administer ketamine — an anesthetic known to cause hallucinations in some cases — according to court filings and media reports.
However, appellate judges found that the trial court made several legal errors, including adopting an overly narrow interpretation of Florida’s statutory immunity for individuals who report suspected child abuse.
“The final judgment in favor of the Kowalskis is reversed,” the appellate court wrote. “On remand, only the IIED (intentional infliction of emotional distress) claim brought on behalf of Maya and the remaining false imprisonment, battery, and medical negligence claims may be retried.”
The panel concluded that the trial judge should have granted a directed verdict in favor of the hospital, noting that Jack Kowalski, Maya’s father, did not provide sufficient evidence of harm related to alleged fraudulent billing.
An attorney representing the hospital described the decision as a major victory and criticized the Netflix documentary’s portrayal of the case.
“This opinion sends a clear and vital message to mandatory reporters in Florida and across the nation that their duty to report suspected child abuse — and their good faith participation in child protection efforts — remain protected,” said attorney Ethen Shapiro of the Hill Ward Henderson law firm in a statement Wednesday.
He continued: “The facts and the law have always emphasized protecting children, the most vulnerable among us. We look forward to vigorously defending our doctors, nurses, and staff in a fair trial on the remaining claims after proper application of immunity. We are grateful to the judges for their careful review and for recognizing what many have misunderstood — that a one-sided movie is no substitute for a fair judicial process.”