Boston Injury Lawyer Blog
Massachusetts General Hospital doctors George Velmaho and Alasdair Conn have agreed to settle for $4.5 million the Boston medical malpractice lawsuit accusing them of negligence in the 2005 death of a 62-year-old patient. Geraldine Moran was placed under their care when she broke a number of ribs after falling off a ladder while cleaning her home.
Even after doctors at another hospital conducted a high-tech medical scan showing that one of her ribs was cracked so that a sharp portion of the bone had become positioned dangerously close to her aorta, the Massachusetts General doctors did not order chest imaging. Also, they decided to wait until the following morning to operate on her.
The morning of her surgery, Moran, who had coughing since the day before, did so in such a way that the rib went into her aorta. She went into cardiac arrest and died.
Delayed Medical Care
Failure to provide the necessary medical care to a patient can result in serious health complications and even death. This is why doctors must make sure that they properly diagnose and treat a patient as needed right away. The slightest delay may prove catastrophic. What could have been an easily treatable condition might end up requiring more serious and costlier medical care.
If you suspect that you or your loved one sustained injuries or complications because a doctor failed to do his/her job properly you may have grounds to pursue a Boston medical malpractice case against the professional and his/her place of business. You will want to work with a Massachusetts personal injury law firm that knows how to go after these types of cases.
Massachusetts Medical Malpractice
Typically a Massachusetts medical malpractice case must be brought within three years of when the injury happened. However, there are exceptions, such as if the plaintiff did not find out until later that medical negligence was the cause of an injury, which is when the statute of limitations would start running. This is called the “discovery rule.” For kids under age six the statute time is longer. However, the case still needs to be filed by the minor’s ninth birthday. Other exceptions may apply, which is why you should speak with a Boston medical malpractice law firm and ask for your free consultation.
MGH doctors to pay $4.5m over death, Boston.com, April 16, 2014
More Blog Posts:
Medical Malpractice Payouts Increase for First Time in a Decade, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, April 2, 2014
Lawsuit Claims Bayer Failed to Warn Patients of Yaz/Yasmin Blot Clot Risk, Drug Injury Lawyers Blog, April 15, 2014
Utility Workers Fatally Injured in Bourne, MA Crane Accident, Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Blog, April 14, 2014
