It is common for most people to associate recent advancements in health care with safer procedures and lower mortality rates. While this largely remains true, mistakes are still made in Oregon and around the country. Doctors and surgeons are human, and errors and imperfections are part of the human element in all walks of life. However, when mistakes are made in the medical field, the lives of patients are directly affected and put at risk. A medical malpractice lawsuit was filed against a cardiologist in another state over claims that his negligence resulted in the death of a patient.
The lawsuit was filed by the children of a man in another state after their father died from what the plaintiffs claim was an improperly installed defibrillator. The lawsuit says that the defendant replaced the man’s original defibrillator in 2015 due to a bad generator. According to the suit, two days after later the patient started hearing beeps that signaled an alert in the device and also received shocks from the device. After an exam it was determined that the device was not properly attached to the man’s heart, the lawsuit says.
The suit says that after several postponements, the man underwent another procedure by the defendant to fix the problem. Following the procedure, the man suffered an irregular heart rhythm but the defibrillator did not shock the man as it should have, the plaintiffs claim. The lawsuit says that the family of the patient was advised to shut the pacemaker off and the man died shortly after.
These days, medical procedures are much, much safer than in the past. However, negligence in health care still contributes to thousands of injuries and deaths each year across the country. Oregon families that have been affected by medical malpractice can pursue damages for their pain and suffering. A successful lawsuit could provide financial relief to help victims and families through this very difficult experience.
Source: thetimesnews.com, “Doctor, ARMC sued in patient death“, Isaac Groves, Jan. 10, 2018