The family of a 24-year-old woman, who died after being treated for stomach problems, was awarded a verdict of $7.9 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit against a hospital, a physician and an anesthesiology practice. The lawsuit claimed that a failed gallbladder procedure led to the young woman’s death several days later.
The lawsuit alleged that the doctor performing surgery failed to put a breathing tube down the patient’s throat. Experts testified that the Detroit woman should have been intubated because of her weight.
Other witnesses testified that the doctor gave the young woman Propofol. The drug is used to relax patients and to sedate then while under anesthesia. After administering the Propofol, the doctor used an endoscope to look inside her stomach to figure out what was causing her abdominal pains.
The lawsuit claimed that the woman awakened during the procedure, gasped for air, screamed for 20-30 seconds, and then fell unconscious. She later went into acute respiratory failure and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. There, she was revived after going into cardiac arrest. She died five days later, after going into cardiac arrest a second time.
The family was awarded a $7.9 million verdict in their Wayne County, Michigan medical malpractice lawsuit, claiming improper care lead to deadly complications.
Identifying whether an individual has a valid medical malpractice case can be complicated and time-consuming process. The medical malpractice lawyers at Lopez McHugh are currently investigating incidents of medical malpractice in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and California. If you suffered a significant injury or have suffered the death of a loved one because of a failed surgery, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, or a prescription medication error, then you should contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options. There is no cost or obligation for the initial consultation and your information will be kept confidential. Contact Lopez McHugh, LLP today for a free case evaluation.