In what’s becoming a troubling trend for doctors, hospitals, and patients, a recent lawsuit alleges that Palm West Hospital lied to the family of a man who died in their care. Now, the family of the young man is suing the hospital that they claim is responsible for their son’s death. The pain, they say, is only made worse by the fact that the hospital lied to cover up their fatal mistake.
What Happened?
It appeared that their son, who was recovering from an opioid overdose, was going to be okay. The young man developed an addiction to opioids in the same way that many Americans have: he was prescribed the pain medication after a major car accident. After that period, he had fought off relapses. At the time of his death, he was going to school to become a personal fitness trainer.
His mom, who was in the room when her son lost consciousness, insists that the cause of his death was an improperly removed central catheter. As soon as the nurse removed the catheter, his oxygen rapidly began to plummet. He grabbed his chest appearing unable to breathe. He began going into convulsions. According to the family, the doctor rushed into the room and asked the nurse if she had just removed the central catheter.
Hospital Claims that Young Man Dies of “Broken Heart Syndrome”
After the incident described above, the hospital claims (and still maintains) that the young man died of “broken heart syndrome”. Broken heart syndrome is the name coined for the condition that causes elderly people to pass shortly after their spouse does. The hospital claimed that the young man was so depressed over upsetting his family, that his heart simply gave out after they removed the central catheter. It was later that a medical examiner determined that the young man most likely died from a preventable medical mistake involving the removal of the central catheter.
Family Responds to News of Medical Malpractice
The family says that their grief was compounded by the fabricated story that their loved one died of broken heart syndrome. They felt partially responsible and second-guessed their interactions with him. They wondered what they could have done or said differently that could have put him at ease. They blamed themselves.
When the family discovered that their son had died as a result of a burst of air that entered the vein when the central catheter was removed, they were justifiably angry. While the hospital maintains that they did nothing wrong, the medical examiner’s report provides a damning rebuttal to what they likely intuited themselves: their son did not die of “broken heart syndrome.”
Contact a Tampa Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you or someone you love was killed or injured by a medical mistake, the Tampa attorneys at Palmer | Lopez can help you recover damages for your loss. We will examine your case and advocate tirelessly for your interests. Give us a call or contact us online and we can begin talking about your options.
Resource:
browardpalmbeach.com/news/lawsuit-palms-west-hospital-mislead-family-about-patients-accidental-death-9594613
