CONFIDENTIAL
- $900,000 settlement for a Philadelphia County wrongful death action on behalf of the family of a woman died as a result of hospital negligence.
The 53-year-old woman had a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia and was severely obese weighing approximately 450 lbs. She had a psychiatric crisis and was taken to the Emergency Room for treatment. Upon being examined, she was admitted to the hospital because of underlying respiratory issue which included shortness of breath. After being intubated, she became agitated and began pulling on the trach. The nursing staff noted the change in her behavior, but assumed that she was just trying to get attention and failed to realize that her actions were a result of her lack of oxygen to her brain. The woman continued to pull on the trach until it came out. She was not intubated quickly enough after that and died as a result.
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