JACK DOE, ETC., ET AL. V. ANONYMOUS OB/GYN, ET AL. $8M

Medical Malpractice/Wrongful Death

Settlement: $8M

At the time of her death, Jane Doe was 34 years old and carrying her second child, 34-week-old Joe Doe. When they died on April 15, 1999, Jane and Joe were under the care of Jane’s OB’s Jeff and Jerry Roe and had an uncomplicated pregnancy.

On March 29, 1999, Jane had an elevated blood pressure that is document in her medical record. Nothing was done to evaluate or treat this pregnancy-induced hypertension. On her next visit two weeks later, Jane was found to have a 13-pound weight gain. Once again, she had elevated blood pressure. She was noted to have swelling and there was protein in her urine. Despite this constellation of symptoms, which is diagnostic of a condition called preeclampsia, she received no laboratory evaluation and no treatment. Preeclampsia is easily treated without complications. However, if left untreated, it can be deadly.

On April 14th, 1999, Jane called the Defendant’s office with respiratory complaints. Despite the abnormal findings at her office visit two days earlier, she was not given an appointment to come in for evaluation. Instead of examining Jane and ordering hospitalization and the necessary laboratory testing, Dr. Jerry Roe instructed his nurse to simply call an antibiotic prescription to the pharmacy. Jane and Joe were found dead in their home the next day. When Jane’s husband, Jack, discovered their deaths, he found his frightened daughter, 3-year-old Jill, alone in the home with her dead mother and brother. An autopsy determined that Jane and Joe’s deaths…

Plantiff’s Counsel: Charles Kanipinski, Christopher M. Mellino, Laurel A. Matthews

Defendant’s Counsel: Withheld

Court: Cuyahoga County Common Pleas

Date: June 2000

Insurance Company: Not Listed

Damages: Death

Defendant’s Experts: Ralph DePalma, M..D. (Obstetrics); Steven M. Donn, M.D. (Pediatrics); James J. Nocon, M.D. (Obstetrics); Robert C. Vannucci, M.D. (Neurology)