{"url":"https://www.thegazette.com/news/crime-and-courts/state-approves-4-5m-settlement-in-iowa-city-woman-s-death/article_37735903-39cc-40ba-a394-69ae4ddcd585.html","title":"State OKs $4.5M settlement in Iowa City woman's hospital death","domain":"thegazette.com","imageUrl":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/11660582/pexels-photo-11660582.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=650&w=940","pexelsSearchTerm":"hospital patient bed","category":"Other","language":"en","slug":"47c0a4c1","id":"47c0a4c1-7278-48f1-8805-f5f10ba8a426","description":"State Appeals Board approved $4.5 million settlement in lawsuit over Iowa City woman Jennifer Kennedy's death at state-run hospital.","summary":"## TL;DR\n- State Appeals Board approved $4.5 million settlement in lawsuit over Iowa City woman Jennifer Kennedy's death at state-run hospital.\n- Kennedy, 31, died in May 2022 after routine hysterectomy caused cardiac arrest and anoxic brain injury.\n- Settlement follows claims of negligence at University of Iowa Health Care, where she had just earned nursing doctorate.\n\n## The story at a glance\nThe State Appeals Board approved a $4.5 million settlement Tuesday in a lawsuit against University of Iowa Health Care over the 2022 death of Jennifer Kennedy, a 31-year-old Iowa City woman. Kennedy entered the hospital for a routine hysterectomy to remove uterine fibroids but suffered cardiac arrest, anoxic brain injury, and died. The suit alleged negligence by hospital staff; her attorney is Farl Greene of Ball, Kirk & Holm in North Liberty. She had recently earned her nursing doctorate and was set to start as a nurse practitioner at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids.[[1]](https://www.thegazette.com/news/crime-and-courts/state-approves-4-5m-settlement-in-iowa-city-woman-s-death/article_37735903-39cc-40ba-a394-69ae4ddcd585.html)\n\n## Key points\n- Jennifer Kennedy, 31, underwent hysterectomy at University of Iowa Health Care in May 2022 for uterine fibroids.\n- She suffered cardiac arrest during or after surgery, leading to anoxic brain injury and death at the hospital.\n- Kennedy had graduated with nursing doctorate earlier that month and was hired as nurse practitioner at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids.\n- Family filed lawsuit alleging negligence by state-run hospital staff.\n- State Appeals Board, which handles tort claims against Iowa, approved $4.5 million settlement.\n- No admission of liability mentioned in available reports.\n\n## Details and context\nKennedy's surgery was described as routine, but complications arose that proved fatal. Anoxic brain injury occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen, often after cardiac arrest, leading to severe damage.\n\nThe State Appeals Board approves settlements for claims against the state under Iowa's tort claims process, especially for amounts over $5,000, which require board, attorney general, and court involvement in some cases. This settlement reflects the board's role in resolving such disputes without full trial.[[1]](https://www.thegazette.com/news/crime-and-courts/state-approves-4-5m-settlement-in-iowa-city-woman-s-death/article_37735903-39cc-40ba-a394-69ae4ddcd585.html)\n\nUniversity of Iowa Health Care is a major state-run facility; past settlements, like a $4.2 million payout in another case, show pattern of resolving malpractice claims via board approval.\n\n## Key quotes\nNone available from visible sources.\n\n## Why it matters\nThis case highlights risks in routine surgeries at major hospitals and accountability for state-run facilities. It means families of negligence victims can seek compensation through Iowa's tort process, though settlements do not admit fault. Watch for any further details on lawsuit terms or hospital response, as full article remains paywalled.","hashtags":["#iowa","#crime","#courts","#healthcare","#malpractice","#settlement"],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.thegazette.com/news/crime-and-courts/state-approves-4-5m-settlement-in-iowa-city-woman-s-death/article_37735903-39cc-40ba-a394-69ae4ddcd585.html","title":"Original article"}],"viewCount":2,"publishedAt":"2026-04-08T22:13:01.004Z","createdAt":"2026-04-08T22:13:01.004Z","articlePublishedAt":"2026-04-08T11:00:00.000Z"}