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Trial Victory for Surgeon

Pretzel & Stouffer Partner Brian C. Rocca and Michael A. Barry successfully defended a surgeon against a wrongful death claim by the family of a woman who was admitted to the hospital for respiratory distress, diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, and placed on blood thinners. She developed a rectus sheath hematoma, and Plaintiff alleged that she bled to death because the surgeon failed to come to the hospital and operate to stop the bleeding. The defense argued that the patient was not a surgical candidate, because her anticoagulated state could not be reversed, and she was hemodynamically unstable. The only option was to continue to treat her medically to stabilize her and reverse the anticoagulation. Plaintiff asked for $2,200,000, and the jury found in favor of the surgeon client of Mr. Rocca and Mr. Barry.

May 2016 | Firm News