Woman Dies from Radiation Overdose

February 4, 2010

The family of a 60 year old woman who died from a perforated bowel related to a radiation overdose has reached a settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit they filed on her behalf.

Patricia Quirk was diagnosed with stage three endometrial cancer in 2003 and immediately began radiation treatment at an Illinois medical center.  She received eleven treatments that were futile, during which she was severely over-radiated.  The overdose of radiation caused her bowel to become perforated, which cased the sepsis that ultimately led to her death.

According to the Quirk family’s medical attorney, the victim was supposed to receive 180 centigrays of radiation, but instead received an alarming 270 centigrays.  The wrongful death lawsuit claims that doctors failed to properly monitor and supervise the amount of radiation being administered and therefore did not catch the overdose.

Radiation treatments in normal doses take a tremendous toll on the body.  Side effects like anemia, bleeding, infections, tissue irritation and hair loss are commonly seen in this type of cancer treatment.  The idea of Ms. Quirk receiving 50% more than necessary is almost inconceivable.  Unfortunately, it did happen, and her family is now left to deal with her premature death.

The Quirk family agreed to a settlement of $7.5 million for their loss, and the case did not have to go to court.  If you have been a victim of radiation overdose, or lost a loved one as a result of this type of egregious medical error, you too may be entitled to compensation.  Contact a medical lawyer right away.

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Posted by Dave Austin

Nursing Home Neglect Blamed in Wrongful Death Lawsuit

January 3, 2010

The executor of the estate of Jack Cornett, who died in 2008 while in the care of Richmond Health and Rehabilitation Complex, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the nursing home and three of its administrators, claiming that their neglect led to Mr. Cornett’s death.

Cornett was a resident of the nursing home for less than a year, during which time he suffered from multiple injuries and complications including:

  • Dehydration
  • Weight loss
  • Poor hygiene
  • Pressure sores
  • Unexplained bruising
  • Compromised nutrition
  • Multiple falls
  • Infections
  • Physical and mental pain and suffering

The lawsuit claims that the nursing facility wasn’t properly staffed which led to failure to deliver appropriate care to its residents.  As a result, Mr. Cornett did not receive the proper sanitary care, medications, wound care and several other claims which the lawsuit alleges accelerated his death.

Mr. Cornett’s estate is requesting compensation to cover the cost of medical and funeral expenses, pain and suffering of the family, loss of spousal consortium, loss of life and mental anguish.

If you suspect that nursing home neglect caused the death of your loved one, you should contact an experienced medical attorney immediately so that justice can be pursued on their behalf.

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Posted by Dave Austin

Lawsuit Filed in Cardiac Arrest Misdiagnosis

December 26, 2009

The family of an Ohio woman whose cardiac arrest went undiagnosed has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on her behalf.  Failure to diagnose cardiac arrest is almost always deadly, and this is no exception.

The family alleges that when 62 year old Eva Walker was brought to the hospital by ambulance with symptoms of cardiac arrest, she was instead misdiagnosed with headaches and shortness of breath and sent home.

Walker died the same day from her condition.

Cardiac arrest causes the heart to stop pumping and the blood pressure to subsequently drop drastically.  It must be treated, and promptly, otherwise the patient will die.  In fact, according to Resuscitation Council UK, the chances of survival for a person suffering cardiac arrest decrease by an incredible 10% each minute it goes undiagnosed.

Do you know someone who died from failure to diagnose cardiac arrest?  You may have the right to receive compensation for your loss, and even more importantly, get justice for the victim.  Contact a medical attorney experienced in failure to diagnose cases who can assess your situation and help you determine if you have a case.

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Posted by Dave Austin

Settlement Reached in James Woods’ Medical Malpractice Suit

December 9, 2009

Actor James Woods has settled his wrongful death lawsuit against the RI hospital where his brother died of a heart attack in 2006 as a result of alleged medical malpractice.

The lawsuit claimed that Woods’ brother Michael was neglected when he went to Kent County Hospital complaining of a sore throat and frequent vomiting.  He died of a heart attack while on a gurney in the hall of the hospital.

The settlement announced a few days ago includes an undisclosed monetary amount for the Woods family and an apology from an executive representing the hospital.

Additionally, and perhaps the most victorious part of the settlement, was the hospital’s promise to create an institute named after the victim.  The Michael J. Woods Institute will focus primarily on researching medical errors and developing ways to reduce these errors and have a positive impact on the medical community.

Again, it’s important to remember that medical malpractice does not discriminate.  It can happen to the rich and famous, it can happen to their family members, and it can happen to you.  If you have suffered injury due to medical negligence, you are urged to contact a medical lawyer as soon as possible.

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Posted by Dave Austin

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed in Fatal Hospital Bed Fall

November 5, 2009

The son of an 83 year old West Virginia woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming she died as a result of injuries suffered after falling out of her hospital bed.

Richard Hornick’s mother, Mary, passed away just months after she fell from her hospital bed while she was a patient at the Thomas Memorial Hospital.  His lawsuit claims that her fall was as a result of the negligence of hospital staff.

On December 8, 2007, while Ms. Hornick was an inpatient at the hospital, she was not properly monitored by staff and tumbled from her bed as a result.  The fall caused severe bruising, cuts on her head and arm and a hematoma.  The lawsuit claims that Ms. Hornick should have been monitored more closely because she met the hospital’s high-risk category.

Six months later, the victim died at a nursing facility.  The cause of her death was determined to be primarily due to dementia, but the secondary cause was listed as a cerebrovascular accident, in other words, the fall.

Hospital falls can be so dangerous that the FDA has released a guide to hospital bed safety.
Know someone who suffered after a dangerous fall from a hospital bed?  You should also know your rights.  A medical attorney can explain them to you.

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Posted by Dave Austin

$4 Million Awarded in Wrongful Death Suit

October 27, 2009

The family of a Florida woman who died during childbirth was awarded a verdict of $4 million in her wrongful death lawsuit.

The medical malpractice suit was filed by the surviving family of Wendy Leigh Jackson and blamed physicians at the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center for her untimely death which occurred as a result of an artery that ruptured during childbirth. Jackson died a mere 16 hours after her son was born.

According to court documents, the doctors at the hospital were all aware of the results of an ultrasound that showed that Jackson had bleeding around her kidneys, but did not take action until it was too late.

Amazingly, the defendants submitted the argument that Jackson was partially to blame for her own death based on “contributory negligence”, but the jury rejected this theory. The settlement is to be divided between Jackson’s son and her widow.

Victims of medical malpractice often think they are capable of filing their own lawsuit without the help of a medical lawyer. This case is a good example of how the defense can spin theories and creative arguments that may or may not damage the plaintiff’s case. This is why it’s critical to have an experienced medical attorney on your side.

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Posted by Dave Austin

Plastic Surgeon Sued in Wrongful Death of Teen

September 30, 2009

The mother of 18-year-old Stephanie Kuleba has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the plastic surgeon that performed breast augmentation surgery on her daughter last year.

According to court documents, Joanne Kuleba claims Dr. Steven Schuster acted negligently when he failed to properly monitor her daughter during the surgery.  Stephanie had a severe allergic reaction to the anesthesia used to sedate her and went into cardiac arrest.  She did not survive the operation.

It is not clear how much Ms. Kuleba is seeking in damages.  Dr. Schuster’s office is refusing to comment.

With plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures becoming more and more popular in this country, it’s important to remember that even though these procedures are not usually necessary, they carry with them just as much risk, if not more, than any other type of surgery.  Mistakes can be made, things can be overlooked, and, as in this case, the results can be irreversible.
If you think you may have been a victim of plastic surgery malpractice, the next step should be contacting a medical attorney.

Source:   www.palmbeachpost.com

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Posted by Dave Austin

Lawsuit Filed in Brain Surgery Malpractice Case

September 1, 2009

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the parents of a 16 year old girl who died following brain surgery.  The medical malpractice claim also alleges that the neurosurgeon then tried to cover up his error by interfering with the autopsy.

Jessica Siegel underwent an operation performed by Dr. Andrew Joel Ringer in August 2006.  The surgical procedure was intended to prevent some of the veins in Siegel’s brain from knotting, which can increase the chances of a stroke.  9 days after the surgery was performed, Siegel died.

The case gets interesting from here, since Siegel’s parents originally only filed a lawsuit because they felt their daughter’s eyes were improperly harvested.  In reviewing the details of the days following Siegel’s untimely death, it was then discovered that Dr. Ringer had specifically ordered an autopsy which excluded the examination of the head, despite the fact that her parents had requested a full one.  The doctor then reportedly feigned surprise when told that there had been no autopsy of the head.  A nurse, however, testified during a deposition that once the girl’s parents left the room, Dr. Ringer instructed her to scratch out the order for a full autopsy and indicate that it should omit the head.

Because of this omission, the medical examiner could not determine a cause of death and the Siegels now feel that this is because Dr. Ringer was attempting to cover up his botched surgery on their daughter’s brain.  Had the autopsy included a head examination, the real cause of Jessica’s death would have likely been uncovered and Dr. Ringer would have found himself facing a medical malpractice lawsuit.

His cover-up didn’t work.  Once the Siegels discovered what Dr. Ringer had done, they promptly filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of their daughter, who they now believed died as a result of his negligence.

Updates to this case will be reported when they become available.

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Posted by Dave Austin

$1 Million Settlement in Wrongful Death Case

August 24, 2009

The family of a Connecticut woman who died shortly after she underwent ovarian surgery has reached a settlement of $1 million in their wrongful death lawsuit.

In July 2006, Barbara Beaudoin had routine ovarian surgery when, according to court documents, the surgeon performing the operation tore her colon. Five days after the surgery, Beaudoin was dead.

Beaudoin was just 60 years old when her life was cut short because of a doctor’s error.

Losing a loved one is always a devastating experience. But when that person’s life is taken from them as a result of a physician’s negligence, it makes the tragedy that much more difficult to understand and deal with. Anyone who is facing this type of situation should contact a medical lawyer to find out if their case is actionable.

Money can never replace a lost loved one, but knowing that some justice has been served in the midst of a tragedy can bring some relief to those grieving their loss and help ease the financial burden that they may be experiencing.

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Posted by Dave Austin

Settlement Reached in VA Wrongful Death Lawsuit

July 22, 2009

The wife of a veteran who died from a blood infection following a biopsy performed at an Illinois VA has reportedly settled her wrongful death lawsuit with the U.S. Government.  The details of the settlement have not yet been made public, though she was seeking $10 million in damages.

Darla Marshall sued the VA hospital that treated her husband James in July 2007, claiming that his death resulted from a blood infection that he contracted after he underwent a biopsy of his lymph nodes.  The lawsuit alleged that Marshall’s death was caused by the medical negligence of Dr. Jose Veizaga-Mendez, who also happens to be linked to several other medical malpractice claims.

It wasn’t just the doctor, however, that had a questionable history.  An investigation of the VA was performed between October 2006 and March 2007, which involved the review of more than thirty cases, and revealed at least nine deaths that were caused by substandard medical care.  At this point, only minor surgeries are allowed to be performed at the facility.  All major surgeries have been halted with no indication of when, if ever, they will be allowed again.

Dr. Veizaga-Mendez has an even shadier past.  He was involved in another wrongful death suit involving a patient who bled to death following gallbladder surgery in 2007.  That case was also settled by the government, who agreed to pay $975,000 to the victim’s wife.  In addition, the physician had been investigated for seven medical malpractice cases in Massachusetts in 2004 and 2005, two of which resulted in death.  His license has been suspended indefinitely.

As in previous posts, the importance of researching before choosing a doctor has been reiterated again and again.  In cases like this, however, it can be difficult to know in whose hands you are placing your wellbeing.  If you have suffered at the hands of a negligent physician, or have lost a loved one as a result of medical malpractice, you should discuss your situation with an experienced medical attorney.

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Posted by Dave Austin

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