In our last post, we discussed the tragic and devastating experience that one family is suffering through after a young, 26-year-old woman died in a hospital from a blood clot in her brain. The victim’s parents took steps to file a legal claim against the hospital citing negligence and argued that their daughter’s death could have been prevented if she had received better care.
But, as is unfortunately the case in many similar situations, the hospital is refusing to take any responsibility for the woman’s death. They released a statement saying there was nothing that could have been done to save the woman’s life.
Some hospitals and clinics have a history of doing whatever they can to avoid taking responsibility for a medical or surgical error. Victims of these mistakes and their families can be extremely upset and frustrated by the complete lack of accountability that they come up against after someone has suffered an illness or injury caused by hospital or doctor negligence. Rather than admit to a mistake and steps to remedy the situation, some hospitals launch aggressive efforts to deny having any part of a preventable error.
This case may be no different. The hospital reportedly has a team of eight attorneys working to dispute the accusations that substandard care practices contributed to the woman’s death. And despite the claims in the lawsuit alleging extreme delays in getting the victim the care and testing she needed to identify and treat her condition, hospital attorneys said only that it was not their fault and the woman’s death was an “unfortunate outcome.” It will be interesting to see if they ultimately admit to negligence or are ordered by a court to compensate the woman’s family.
Readers in New Jersey may want to consider this case a strong reminder of the challenges associated with holding a negligent hospital or doctor accountable for medical malpractice. But victims and their families do not have to face this situation alone. With the help of an attorney who is experienced in the complexities of malpractice claims, people can pursue the compensation and justice they may deserve.
Source: Citizens Voice, “Geisinger defends treatment of late doctor,” Bob Kalinowski, Feb. 4, 2014
