Connecticut Hospital Sued for Medical Malpractice

CT negligence lawsuit: The Yale-New Haven Hospital has been named as the defendant in a medical malpractice lawsuit. In this case, an 81-year-old woman says she was injured as a result of hospital error when she fell off of an operating table after surgery.

The surgery took place in February of 2010. At that time, the elderly woman had a pacemaker implanted. After the surgery, and while she was still under the effects of the surgical medications, she was left unattended, and was not properly secured on the operating table. To make matters even more dangerous, the table was not placed in its lowest position.

When trying to reposition herself on the table by herself, she lost her balance and fell off of the table. As a result of the fall, she suffered hip and collarbone fractures, along with a traumatic head injury that led to bleeding under her skull, along with other injuries.

This once vibrant and strong woman now has been left unable to drive a car or live in her own home. She has difficulty climbing stairs and has had to relearn how to walk.

According to her medical malpractice lawsuit, the hospital failed in their duties to her. With proper policies and procedures in place such a fall could have been prevented, or at least minimized.

Though the hospital reported the incident to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, took corrective action and apologized, by bringing this lawsuit this injured patient hopes to hold the hospital accountable for their negligence and to send a message to hospitals that failing to pay attention to the needs of patients can result in very serious injuries.

Source: Huffington Post, “Florence Fiedler, 81-Year-Old Patient, Suing Yale-New Haven Hospital After Falling Off Operating Table,” John Christoffersen, May 22, 2012 – CT negligence lawsuit