A man in another state was apparently struck by a motor vehicle on his way home from work in September 2015. Several events unfolded in the aftermath of the accident that led to the man filing a hospital negligence lawsuit against those he blames for the loss of his leg. Patients in Louisiana health care facilities have suffered similarly in the past when substandard care was provided at various hospitals.
When the man in this situation was hit by the car, rescuers reportedly made it to the scene in minutes. The man was transported to a local hospital for treatment. It was determined that the 46-year-old needed emergency vascular surgery on his leg, but the hospital where he was being treated was not equipped to handle the situation.
An urgent call was apparently placed to another hospital. The emergency phone line was supposed to be answered within three rings. However, it seems that when the call regarding the man’s serious condition was made, no one picked up the phone. Hours later, the man was finally transferred to the hospital, but surgery was delayed due to further complications regarding the transfer of CT scans performed at the previous facility. By the time the surgery was performed, the man’s condition had allegedly deteriorated to the point that doctors could not save his leg.
The injured man’s condition forced him to undergo leg amputation; he has since filed a medical malpractice claim alleging that his leg may have been saved were it not for the substandard care he received. His claim seeks $24 million in damages and is being tried in federal court. Hospital negligence is a serious issue to which many Louisiana patients can relate. A person considering filing a medical malpractice claim may want to seek a review of the case from an experienced attorney before proceeding to court.
Source: New York Daily News, “Man who lost his leg blames Brooklyn hospital“, Dareh Gregorian, July 6, 2016
