Defendants in a medical malpractice lawsuit lost their chance to challenge $3.8 million in damages by failing to request an itemized verdict slip, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled.

Andrew Youman of Youman & Caputo, who represented plaintiff Karen Cowher at trial, said the Supreme Court's ruling in Cowher v. Kodali is a lesson to lawyers on the importance of isolating in advance any issues they intend to raise on appeal.