People die in Massachusetts every day due to various reasons. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, medical negligence is the third leading cause of death in the United States. That fact can be alarming to patients seeking care from reputable doctors and nurses. Sadly, despite 30 years of experience, one doctor was recently accused of medical negligence and was ordered to pay a family a judgment of $6.8 million for their loss.
The woman opted to undergo a surgery for a hiatal hernia repair. The surgery was performed laparoscopically through small abdominal incisions using a mesh inserted into her abdomen. During the surgery, small surgical tacks were used to close up part of her incision, and it was the use of these tacks that made the woman’s case controversial.
Two days following surgery, the woman suffered cardiac arrest and died. An autopsy was performed, and unusual marks were seen on her heart. Lawyers for the woman’s family argued that the tacks used by a physician are not recommended due to the ability for them to break loose and travel to the heart and cause health issues. Lawyers for the physician countered the argument, claiming that the marks on the woman’s heart were likely a result of compressions in the final moments when healthcare workers attempted to resuscitate her. The jury agreed with the family’s lawyers that the woman died as a result of surgical technique.
Losing a loved one to medical negligence is difficult. Families and patients trust physicians to offer the best and most updated care. When it is not, it can be costly to patients in multiple ways. Families who have lost loved ones due to poor care from a healthcare worker often find the advice a medical malpractice attorney in Massachusetts beneficial to understand their legal options.
