A Kanawha County jury awarded a Charleston surgeon $25 million in damages Thursday, finding that Charleston Area Medical Center executives sullied his reputation and wrongfully revoked his hospital privileges three years ago.

After hearing testimony for two weeks and deliberating for three hours, jurors decided CAMC administrators engaged in "fraudulent, malicious and oppressive conduct" against Dr. R.E. Hamrick in a dispute over the doctor's malpractice insurance.

"We need new administrators over there, and we need a new Board of Trustees," said Karen Miller, Hamrick's sister and lawyer. "That's what the jury is telling the community, just like the doctor's have been."

The verdict is the largest in recent memory against the state's second-largest hospital.

"We are extremely disappointed in the verdict, and we intend to appeal it," said CAMC spokesman Dale Witte. "That's all we can say."

Hamrick sued CAMC in September 2004 after administrators pulled his privileges to practice at the hospital. The surgeon's right to practice was reinstated by a Supreme Court order four days later.

Hamrick wanted to fund himself against medical malpractice with $1 million of his own money instead of going through a commercial insurance company. CAMC officials balked at the plan.

Read more in Friday's Charleston Gazette.

A Kanawha County jury awarded a Charleston surgeon $25 million in damages Thursday, finding that Charleston Area Medical Center executives sullied his reputation and wrongfully revoked his hospital privileges three years ago.

After hearing testimony for two weeks and deliberating for three hours, jurors decided CAMC administrators engaged in "fraudulent, malicious and oppressive conduct" against Dr. R.E. Hamrick in a dispute over the doctor's malpractice insurance.

"We need new administrators over there, and we need a new Board of Trustees," said Karen Miller, Hamrick's sister and lawyer. "That's what the jury is telling the community, just like the doctor's have been."

The verdict is the largest in recent memory against the state's second-largest hospital.

"We are extremely disappointed in the verdict, and we intend to appeal it," said CAMC spokesman Dale Witte. "That's all we can say."

Hamrick sued CAMC in September 2004 after administrators pulled his privileges to practice at the hospital. The surgeon's right to practice was reinstated by a Supreme Court order four days later.

Hamrick wanted to fund himself against medical malpractice with $1 million of his own money instead of going through a commercial insurance company. CAMC officials balked at the plan.

Read more in Friday's Charleston Gazette.