A civil lawsuit was filed on March 27 against a Texas hospital and a doctor after a woman who underwent laparoscopic surgery experienced medical complications. The plaintiffs allege medical malpractice in the suit against the hospital and the surgeon who performed the operation. The plaintiffs also claim that the defendants’ negligence caused the patient’s death, which occurred in 2012.
According to the lawsuit, the doctor who performed the laparoscopic surgery allegedly caused a hole to the woman’s small bowel during the procedure. The doctor was forced to switch to an open procedure due to the bowel perforation. The suit further reports that the patient then started having surgical complications, such as stool draining at the site of the surgical incision.
The woman underwent an additional surgery due to the complications that arose from the first procedure. However, following the second surgery, the patient experienced multiple organ failure, which then later led to her death on April 14, 2012. The lawsuit is seeking compensation for damages and interest as well as court fees. The woman died at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont, Texas.
Families of patients who died due to surgical error or hospital negligence could file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the liable parties. An attorney may be able to examine a case and determine the amount of damages a family could pursue. In some cases, a settlement may be reached out of court. However, in the event that the case goes to civil court, an attorney may be able to use an independent medical authority’s testimony as evidence of the defendant’s negligence.
Source: The Southeast Texas Record, “Beaumont hospital, doctor sued for death of patient after surgery complications“, Ben Hart, April 14, 2014
