A registered nurse at Queen’s Medical Center, in Hawaii, was recently awarded $3.8 million in damages for being racially discriminated against and harassed.

“I’m just happy that a Hawaii jury saw the evidence and felt that what happened to me was wrong,” Ellen Harris said, according to KITV.

From 2006 to 2011, Harris was working in the hospital’s intensive care unit when she reported several patient issues in the unit where she worked. She claimed that the racial discrimination and retaliation – from the hospital – came about after she spoke out.

“It escalated to the point where she reports a nurse walking by a patient — who is actually pulling out their ventilator tube— and not doing anything and saying, ‘Hey Ellen, your patients doing some crazy stuff.’ She gets this the next day after making that report,” her attorney, Carl Varady, explained holding up a copy of one of the notes that Harris received, which read “Lazy Ass Ni—r B-tch.”

Harris claims she received two racist notes at work, one note had the n-word written on it, while the other one was a photo of a noose.

“It was just kind of that fear after that, especially not knowing exactly who did it,” she said.

She reported both incidents and requested the results of the investigation from the hospital. The hospital never gave her a copy of the report and never issued an apology.

“No one said it was wrong. No one said this is not acceptable,” she said.

“From start to finish Queen’s never apologized, never admitted liability.. tried to degrade and criticize,”Varady added “In closing argument…, all they had to say about her was she’s a liar don’t believe her.. but the jury heard otherwise.”

Harris was awarded $3.2 million total in punitive damages, plus another $630,000 in general damages in her lawsuit against the hospital.

This makes up one of the largest damage awards in the state’s history. However, Varady believes that Harris may never see the money.

A spokesperson for Queen’s Medical Center issued a statement saying, “We are very disappointed in today’s verdict and will be filing an appeal. Because this is pending litigation, we will not comment further.”