$450,000: Mother/Wife Bleeds to Death in Hospital after Giving Birth

TYPE OF CASE: Medical Malpractice, Wrongful Death

INJURIES: Wrongful death of wife and mother

DATE & LOCATION OF INCIDENT: August 12, 2003

PLAINTIFF’S AGE: Father (age 43) and 6 children ranging from newborn to 20 years of age

Plaintiff’s decedent, a 40 year old wife and mother bled to death in Defendants hospital after giving birth to her sixth healthy child.

CASE DESCRIPTION:  Plaintiff’s decedent was a 40 year old wife and mother who was a patient in Roe Hospital giving birth to her sixth child.  Plaintiff’s decedent gave birth to a healthy baby boy.  Subsequent to giving birth, Plaintiff’s decedent continued to bleed.  It became necessary to provide a blood transfusion; but availability of the blood was delayed and the need for the transfusion was not identified quickly enough.  Defendants had drawn blood from her for purposes of typing and cross-matching upon admission to the hospital and also after she gave birth, but either failed to send the blood that was drawn to the lab stat or lost the blood sample.  Eventually Defendant Roe Hospital was able to type and cross-match the blood and Defendant Roe doctor ordered a transfusion for Plaintiff’s decedent.  By the time Plaintiff’s decedent received the transfusion, she was suffering from irreversible blood loss, and passed away.

FINAL RESULT:  $450,000

PLAINTIFF’S CONTENTIONS AS TO LIABLITY: Plaintiff’s contended that Defendants failed to ensure that Plaintiff’s decedent received blood transfusion in a timely manner.

DEFENDANTS’ CONTENTIONS AS TO LIABLITY: Defendants contended that the patient had stopped bleeding and therefore did not monitor or act to replace blood as promptly as they otherwise would have.  When the bleeding began “again,” it was not stoppable due to disseminated intravascular coagulation.

TYPE OF CASE: Medical Malpractice, Wrongful Death

INJURIES: Wrongful death of wife and mother

DATE & LOCATION OF INCIDENT: August 12, 2003

PLAINTIFF’S AGE: Father (age 43) and 6 children ranging from newborn to 20 years of age

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEYS:
Richard A. Cohn, Esq.
AITKEN, AITKEN & COHN
For Plaintiffs – Doe Plaintiffs

DEFENDANT’S ATTORNEYS:
Confidential
For Defendants – Roe Hospital