Going to the emergency room can be scary. Yet, the experience and training of emergency room personnel should leave patients feeling confident that they are in good hands. Sadly, medical professionals often breach that trust. Bad decisions by doctors and nurses can cause catastrophic harm to unsuspecting patients, sometimes resulting in death.
Doctors at a Boston hospital recently settled a medical malpractice lawsuit against them, which claimed their negligence caused the death of 62-year-old woman. The victim, who had fallen off a ladder, died when one of her fractured, sharp ribs punctured her aorta. Instead of acting immediately upon learning of the danger, doctors decided to keep the victim overnight and perform the operation in morning. It proved to be a fatal decision. The $4.5 million settlement will likely help the family cover medical expenses, funeral costs, and help ease their pain and suffering.
Losing a loved one may be the most difficult things to deal with in life. Surviving family members are often emotionally devastated by such a senseless, premature death, and they may find it difficult to carry out their daily functions. Additionally, these family members are often left with unexpected and undeserved debt in the form of medical expenses and funeral costs. In some instances, the family relied heavily on their lost loved one’s income, and the sudden loss leaves them financially strained.
All of these damages may be recoverable through a medical malpractice or wrongful death lawsuit. In Massachusetts, victims or their surviving family members can find an experienced attorney to help them bring their claim. Having a strong legal advocate on one’s side can go a long way toward showing a defendant’s negligence and recovering the maximum compensation that is truly deserved.
Source: The Boston Herald, “Boston doctors agree to $4.5M settlement,” April 16, 2014