The Marasco & Nesselbush litigation team recently achieved a $5,100,000 recovery on behalf of the estate of a woman who passed away due to medical negligence.
Our client had a laparoscopic gall bladder removal during which the surgeon nicked her bowel with a surgical instrument. Just hours after the surgery, she began to develop signs of infection. Diagnostic imaging demonstrated that the injured colon was leaking feces into her abdomen. Regrettably, the evidence of the injury and infectious process was largely ignored, and the patient’s condition worsened. Ultimately, she suffered septic shock and emergency surgery was required. She fought valiantly for more than a year with her family by her side before succumbing to her injuries.
Her family was referred to us by a friend of the firm. Many months after the surgery, while she was hospitalized, the family reached out to us to discuss a potential medical negligence claim.
Immediately after hearing her story the M & N litigation team including Partner Joseph Marasco, Senior Trial Counsel Mark Grimm, Attorney Tom Moran, and Paralegal Heather Jennison went to work to gather all the client’s medical records and build a case file.
The defendant argued that the patient’s passing was a result of risks associated with the surgery and the patient’s pre-existing conditions. A nicked colon is a known associated risk or complication and in fact the client’s pre-existing conditions made the surgery more difficult.
However, our team was able to establish that the way the surgery was performed increased the likelihood of the complication. In addition, we were able to establish through well qualified experts that the post-surgical care fell below accepted standards. The surgeon had direct evidence of the intra-surgical injury and failed to effectively evaluate and treat his patient for many hours.
The case was settled after the Marasco & Nesselbush litigation team had gathered overwhelming evidence and experts to demonstrate the procedure was performed negligently and that the follow-up medical attention did not meet accepted standards.
No amount of money can compensate a family for the loss of a loved one. It is our hope that by achieving these results we are holding individuals and organizations accountable for their actions. We believe that our vigilance on behalf of injured clients will lead to a safer and more accountable health care system. If you believe that you or a loved one may be a victim of medical negligence, please contact us for a free confidential consultation.