Miscommunication Leads Patient to Bleed to Death in Hospital Bed After Gallstone Removal
$1,750,000 Settlement was Reached
Kevin was a young man with a history of significant medical problems. He was admitted to an Ohio hospital with gallstones. Following surgery to remove the stones, Kevin’s blood pressure began to drop. Hospital nurses continued to watch as Kevin’s condition worsened over the course of several hours. Kevin’s surgeon never came to see him after the surgery, and Kevin slowly died of internal bleeding.
Kevin was a young man from a very poor and very “rough” neighborhood. His surgeon was a prominent young surgeon from an affluent family. Although other firms had turned the case down, The Eisen Law Firm agreed to help, embracing rather than fearing the disparity in “social standing” of the people involved.
The Eisen Law Firm focused on the role of the nursing staff in failing to communicate with Kevin’s surgeon, rather than on any perceived shortcomings in the surgical technique. The Firm also focused on Kevin’s accomplishments in the context of his environment. Those accomplishments might have seemed meager to a prominent family from a prosperous neighborhood, but in Kevin’s world, his achievements were exceptional.
By changing the focus of the case, The Eisen Law Firm was able to negotiate a significant pre-trial settlement.