Results tagged “anesthesia error” from Medical Malpractice Lawyers & Attorneys

The family of an Alabama woman who died after bile entered her lungs during surgery has been awarded $20 million in an anesthesia malpractice lawsuit.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Coastal Anesthesia, Dr. Randal Boudreaux, and nurse Don Ortego by the family of Paulett Pettaway Hall.

Hall was receiving exploratory surgery to determine a possible cause for the severe stomach pains she was experiencing.  As soon as the anesthesia was administered, she began breathing bile into her lungs. She died later.

Hall's family is claiming that Boudreaux and Ortego, the anesthetist, failed to identify that Hall was at risk for breathing fluid into her lungs, even though that information was included in her medical records. Furthermore, a report originally published in the Mobile Press-Register said the family claims that Bourdreaux never examined Hall's medical records and, if he were to have done that, her death might have been prevented.

Following a trial, the jury sided with Hall's family and awarded them $20 million in damages.

When to Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Anesthesia errors are a common form of medical malpractice that contribute to hundreds of deaths a year. If you are suffering from an illness or a debilitating medical condition as a result of anesthesia malpractice, or if your loved one was killed due to an anesthesia error, you should speak with an attorney about your legal rights and options. Click here to find a medical malpractice attorney near you today!

An Ohio jury has awarded 1.3 million to a woman who suffered second degree burns on her face and neck after a fire erupted in the operating room where she was having an outpatient procedure.

Lauren Wargo, who was having a mole removed from her right eyebrow, was sedated and receiving oxygen through a face mask when plastic surgeon Dr. Bryan Michelow activated an electocautery device (known as a bovie) that caused a fire to erupt in the operating room. In the lawsuit, Wargo alleged that Michelow was negligent in failing to communicate with anesthesia assistant who was responsible for monitoring the oxygen mask. The lawsuit claims that Michelow should have known to tell the assistant to turn off the oxygen. During the trial, Michelow blamed the assistant for not knowing he was going to use the bovie.

The jury found that Dr. Michelow was 100% at fault for the incident, and awarded Wargo $872,000 in damages. The jury also discovered that Michelow concealed the truth about the cause of the fire from Wargo and her parents, which resulted in an additional award of  $425,000 in punitive damages.

For more information plastic surgery malpractice and anesthesia malpractice, please click here to find a medical malpractice attorney near you.

In Wildwood, Illinois, a family won $9 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit that involved the death of a 12 year old boy. 

On December 14, 1999, young Andrew Muno underwent surgery at Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.  The boy needed surgery to repair a cut tendon in his left arm.  During the surgery, Andrew died due to breathing problems he incurred after receiving an antibiotic he was allergic to.   Case information was released by the law firm representing Andrew's family, Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard Law Office.

Shortly after Andrew's death, his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Dr. Dale S. Gordon (anesthesiologist) and the surgeon who did the operation.  In 2006, a jury in Lake County ruled in favor of the family, and rewarded them $7.5 million.

After the ruling, both doctors listed as defendants in the lawsuit attempted to challenge the verdict, twice.  However, they were not successful with their attempts.

This past Wednesday, Lake County Judge Raymod McKoski upheld the $7.5 million award and granted the family interest, which brought the verdict to $9 million.

When the verdict was announced, attorney Michael Schstok released the following statement, "After nine years of waiting for justice to be rendered for the death of their son, the Muno family is relieved to finally have closure of this horrible chapter in their lives."

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