Hospital Blamed in Wrongful Death

It is important to hold hospitals in Connecticut responsible for medical mistakes committed by their staff. If a doctor, a nurse or other medical staff member fails to provide an acceptable standard of medical care to patients, then patients may be harmed. Sometimes a patient may even die due to this negligence. Read about the case for Wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital.

This was the basis of a claim made by family members who were devastated by the loss of their loved one. The wrongful death lawsuit stems from a 73-year-old man who died after checking into a hospital with an upset stomach.

However, once at the hospital, things took a turn for the worse. While in the hospital, a member of the nursing staff tried to insert a gastric tube into the patient’s nasal passage. However, during the procedure, the patient vomited. He inhaled the vomit into his lungs, causing a lack of oxygen flow to his brain. He suffered irreversible brain damage as a result of the loss of oxygen and died five days later.

His family brought a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital. The basis of their claim is that this man did not receive proper medical care while at the hospital and that the nurse’s negligence resulted in his untimely death.

The jury in this case agreed. After hearing the evidence, they determined that the hospital was ultimately responsible for this man’s death. In making this decision, the family was awarded $1 million. However, the case may continue on as the hospital reportedly plans on appealing.

Source: ksn.com, “Hutch hospital attorney says appeal likely in suit,” Nov. 2, 2012