Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby LLP

February 10, 2010 : Jury Returns Verdict for Cardiologist in Washington County Trial

After a two-week trial, a Washington County jury returned a verdict in favor of all defendants in an alleged medical negligence case. The case involved the  death of a married 45-year-old female, allegedly as the result of a Type A aortic dissection. The atient was admitted to a local hospital through the ER with symptoms of chest pain and transient weakness of the left leg. (The patient’s mother had a history of abdominal aortic and cerebral aneurysms.) The firm's client, a cardiologist, saw the patient in consultation an hour after her admission and began working her up based upon the impression of acute coronary syndrome. The patient arrested and died 15 hours after admission while in the PCU.  Although an autopsy was refused, organ donation records reported an intimal peel of the aorta, leading to the allegation that the patient had died from aortic dissection. The testimony of the plaintiff’s expert was that the plaintiff’s symptoms, combined with her mother’s history of aortic aneurysm, should have lead the defendants to suspect aortic aneurysm or dissection prompting a CT scan of the chest. The defendants denied that there was any familial link between aneurysm and dissection or that the patient’s symptoms were consistent with aortic dissection and also disputed cause of death. The decedent was earning in excess of $75,000 a year and the demand before trial was $3.9 million.  Partner James R. Hartline represented the cardiologist in the matter.