Florida Man Wins $3.6 Million Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
Experiencing the death of a loved one can be devastating, especially when the death was caused by a doctor’s negligence. While doctors are supposed to provide an appropriate standard of care to patients, sometimes mistakes happen, causing serious injury or even death to patients.
Sadly, this was the case for a Cocoa Beach woman, who contracted an abscess after she received injections for lower back pain. She received multiple treatment, including surgeries, to cure the abscess, but she died a year later. She was 60 years old when she died in February 2013.
Her widowed husband filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor who treated his wife, as well as Cape Canaveral Hospital, Health First Medical Group and Health First Physicians. Four years later, the man – who managed Coconuts on the Beach from 2006 to 2017 – prevailed, winning a $3.6 million verdict. A Brevard County judge approved the award in January. The defendants are appealing the decision.
The incident began in March 2012, when the man’s wife started to receive spinal injections to treat lower back pain. For two months, she received injections at Cape Canaveral Hospital medical plaza. Just a few weeks later, she suffered excruciating pain and went to the Cape Canaveral Hospital emergency room.
She was diagnosed with an epidural abscess. She underwent multiple treatments at various hospitals for nearly a year, until her death in 2013.
It is believed that the doctor was negligent in causing the abscess by introducing bacteria into her spine. She then acquired an infection and the doctor was negligent once again in caring for the infection.
MRIs found large abscesses in the injection sites. The woman never left the hospital after June 8, 2012. She suffered from meningitis and hallucinations. She had to have antibiotics administered into her scalp. She was in an induced coma.
The woman underwent eight surgical procedures. She developed a bone infection and had to have spinal discs removed.
Despite the ordeal, the defendants criticized the judge’s decision. They claimed that they were deprived of their right to a jury trial and that no witnesses were called. Health First claims that the standard of care was met. The doctor involved is no longer associated with Cape Canaveral Hospital and is now practicing at the Orlando VA Medical Center.
The couple was married for 21 years. The man owes more than $1 million in outstanding medical bills.
Seek Help for Your Medical Malpractice Case
Florida residents rely on their doctors to provide them with the best medical care possible. When a doctor causes a medical condition or injury to worsen, they can be held liable for damages, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and funeral expenses.
If you or a loved one was seriously injured or killed due to medical negligence, seek legal help. These cases can be very complex, but the aggressive Dade City medical malpractice attorneys at the Madonna Law Group can help you recover compensation for damages. Schedule a free consultation today by calling (800) 557-0411.
Resource:
floridatoday.com/story/news/2019/01/28/cocoa-beach-man-wins-3-6-million-judgment-health-first-wifes-2013-death/2675946002/
https://www.manderlawgroup.com/florida-man-files-medical-malpractice-lawsuit-after-wifes-death/
