The Fight Over Lieutenant Uhura
The family of Nichelle Nichols, best known for portraying Uhura in “Star Trek: The Original Series,” was awarded $13 million in a wrongful death lawsuit over her medical treatment, but there is a major catch.
A Grant County jury awarded the Nichols estate $13 million after finding liability in connection with Nichols’ care at Gila Medical Center in Silver City, New Mexico.
However, due to New Mexico’s Tort Claims Act, the Nichols estate is expected to receive only $400,000 because Gila Medical Center is a government-owned entity subject to statutory damage caps.
The New Mexico Tort Claims Act generally grants government entities and public employees immunity from civil liability. The Act does outline specific exceptions where immunity is waived, such as in cases of motor vehicle accidents, unsafe premises, or medical negligence at government-owned hospitals, allowing victims to seek compensation
Many financial websites have estimated that Nichols’ net worth at the time of her death was approximately $500,000.
The “Star Trek” star died in 2022 after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure.
Nichols was discharged from the hospital and died hours later at home, according to court filings and testimony cited by Giant Freakin Robot, a sci-fi entertainment website. According to her son, Kyle Johnson, Nichight may still be alive had she received different care and been transferred to a better-equipped facility.
“Would your mother have been alive today had she been transferred to a better facility?” KOAT reporter John Rupolo asked Johnson.
Johnson replied, “I believe so.”
The estate’s pursuit of accountability does not end with Gila Medical Center. Johnson said the Nichols estate has also filed a lawsuit against the hospital’s former management company, Health Tech Management Services.
Johnson alleges that cost-cutting measures implemented by the company contributed to inadequate medical care.
“So the for-profit management company that was brought in by the county commissioners to run the regional did a horrible job, right. They slashed staff. They took out enormous management fees from the hospital. They had CEOs. They rotated every three months,” Johnson told KOAT.
Nichols’ character, Uhura, broke barriers on television by portraying a Black woman in a position of authority during the 1960s.
She also participated in what is widely regarded as one of the first interracial kisses on prime-time television alongside Captain Kirk aka William Shatner in a 1968 episode of “Star Trek.”
Some viewers were not ready for such a progressive message, and Nichols considered leaving the show.
However, Martin Luther King Jr. encouraged her to remain, arguing that she was one of the few Black actors on television portraying a non-stereotypical character in a role that reflected dignity, professionalism, and opportunity.