A Superior Court jury has awarded $1.8 million to a Connecticut cardiothoracic surgeon, who alleged Hartford HealthCare Medical Group breached its separation agreement with him, costing him the services of about 100 patients a year.

In a case that hinged on lost business, plaintiffs counsel succeeded in showing the jury that even though Dr. Paul Preissler made hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and was still working, he would have made more, had it not been for the medical group, which owns several hospitals, including Hartford Hospital.