Kaiser radiologist awarded millions

A jury has awarded a former radiologist at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center more than $11 million in damages for wrongful termination. Michael Martinucci sued the hospital claiming he was wrongly terminated for refusing to perform medical procedures and for alleged racial and sexual harassment.

Martinucci alleged that hospital officials fabricated the charges against him because they were upset with his efforts to improve the medical standards in the radiology department.

He said he was told to perform mammograms even though he hadn’t done them in more than a year and needed time to take a refresher course. In 2006, Martinucci was asked to resign after a colleague alleged he made sexual and racial comments toward him.

On Thursday, a jury awarded Martinucci $7.5 million in punitive damages from Southern California Permanente Medical Group and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan. The jury ruled Monday that Martinucci should receive nearly $4 million in compensatory damages.

-- Raja Abdulrahim