Two siblings who allege their father was given an incorrect medication in 2011 leading to his untimely death have filed suit against two separate hospitals in connection with the case. The siblings have claimed medical malpractice based on negligent care. As often happens in New Jersey, the out-of-state case is being handled by a county Superior Court.
The siblings, a man and woman, allege their father was admitted to an emergency room complaining of severe gastrointestinal problems. The issue was traced by doctors to an antral perforation which necessitated a surgery. According to the siblings’ representation, the man was given an incorrect type of anesthesia as part of his surgery plan — one many times stronger than the anesthesia that should have been administered.
Attorneys are alleging that because of the nature of the man’s ailment, he should never have been given the drug Sufentanil due to inherent risks to patients with his particular condition. The presiding doctor has admitted to the error in administration. After a second surgery, the patient passed away due to complications from the incorrect drug. The siblings are seeking damages estimated at $10,000.
Any New Jersey resident who has lost a parent understands the pain of such a loss, made more poignant by the preventable nature of this unfortunate tragedy. While the medical malpractice lawsuit will not bring the plaintiff’s father back to them, it is hoped that it may provide a sense of closure to the grieving family. Additionally, when legal repercussions result from a failure on the medical professional to ensure the safety of a patient, it can be hoped that practitioners will be more careful in the future.
Source: the-dispatch.com, “Siblings file medical malpractice suit over death of father,” Darrick Ignasiak, June 20, 2013
