A New York couple has filed a lawsuit against a hospital which they claimed made a mistake that put their daughter in a vegetative coma. The couple brought their 19-year-old daughter to Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York, in January when she was suffering stomach pains. The doctors administered an endoscopy, a procedure in which a small camera is guided down the patient’s throat.
The lawsuit claims that the procedure went wrong 20 minutes after it began. According to the parents’ suit, medical errors led to a change in the girl’s heart rate and blood pressure cut off oxygen to her brain and caused permanent damage. The parents have sued the hospital and two doctors for carelessness and negligence.
The girl is now in an irreversible vegetative state and lives in a long-term care facility. The parents say that her ongoing care has drained their finances. While damages were not specified, people who have suffered this type of malpractice may sue for a number of expenses, including medical care, ongoing treatment and pain and suffering.
People in New York who have been harmed by malpractice or negligence on the part of health care providers may be entitled to financial compensation and may benefit from meeting with an attorney who may examine the nature of the medical error, determine if a claim is appropriate and estimate the amount of damages to request. In addition to expenses for medical care, injured parties could receive damages to cover time off work, rehabilitation and replacement of income if they can no longer financially support dependents. In the event of a settlement, the attorney may work to negotiate to obtain the highest possible financial compensation.
Source: NBC New York, “Family Sues Hospital for Negligence After Daughter Left Brain-Damaged“, Tracie Strahan, May 06, 2013
