Medical malpractice is one of the most horrifying types of personal injury, as patients place great faith in their medical team that they will do a good job in alleviating the illness or healing the injury. When medical professionals fail to adhere to principles of safe and sound treatment practices, the results can be deadly – as is the case in today’s story out of Kings County, New York.
According to allegations set forth in a recent wrongful death action, a 40-year old woman was admitted to the Kings County Hospital for treatment of the life-threatening respiratory disease tuberculosis. Allegedly, the horrors began in 2008 when doctors at the facility failed to properly administer an antidote to the woman, despite testing positive for the condition via a routine skin test. One month later, doctors in the same facility “overlooked” a mass growing in the woman’s right lung – despite awareness of the positive tuberculosis test.
From there, the woman lived with tuberculosis (undiagnosed) for another six years. She presented at Kings County Hospital in 2014 in respiratory distress, was diagnosed with pneumonia and released. Again, the woman presented weeks later with a “brutal cough” – resulting in doctors’ decision to remove part of her lung. Approximately eight days later – with her health rapidly declining – the medical staff finally ordered a tuberculosis antidote, and she was placed in a rotating bed to help avoid fluid build-up in the lungs.
Four days later, she was finally administered the first dose of the antidote, but she nonetheless succumbed to tuberculosis just three days later. Her surviving family members have alleged substantial incompetence and sub-standard care, a claim vehemently denied by the hospital.
Contact an experienced wrongful death attorney today
To learn more about your options under New York’s wrongful death laws, please contact Dental and Podiatry Malpractice Lawyers of New York: 212-712-0008.