New Jersey residents may be interested in a medical malpractice lawsuit that was filed by the family of a man who is now in a vegetative state. The 72-year-old man was reportedly active and in good health before he began to suffer from chest pains. After visiting an emergency room in California, the man learned that he had a heart defect and was scheduled for surgery. According to the lawsuit, medical negligence by the cardiologist who performed the man's surgery is what caused his current condition.
Several days after the man's surgery in April 2012, his stepson received an anonymous call from a nurse who claimed to have witnessed it. The caller informed him that the complications his stepfather had suffered were the result of the cardiologist walking out mid-surgery. The caller went on to explain that an unqualified physician's assistant had been left to close the man's chest cavity. The cardiologist reportedly left for a luncheon.
During the procedure, the man went into cardiac arrest and bled heavily. Although his body was eventually healed, the man's stepson says that he never regained consciousness. The family is seeking unspecified damages from Fresno Community Regional Medical Center, Valley Cardiac Surgery Medical Group and the cardiologist.
If family members suspect their loved one died as a result of medical negligence, an attorney may be able to assist them in conducting a thorough investigation. After gathering eyewitness testimony and other relevant evidence, the family may be able to obtain compensation from their medical malpractice claim against all of the liable parties.