A widow has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit naming a health center negligent for their failure in diagnosing her husband’s pulmonary embolisms during an examination, which resulted in his death less than two weeks later, as reported by the Greenwich Time.
S.W., of Greenwich, lost her husband F.H., 46, on February 20, 2010 to a pulmonary embolism. She claims in her suit that Tully Health Center, and the medical contractor for its emergency room, should have diagnosed her husband’s fatal condition – a condition that caused his death ten days after he had sought care at the health center.
S.W. further alleges that emergency medical physicians failed to detect pulmonary embolisms in both of F.H.’s lungs.
Stamford Health System owns the care center.
The suit is filed in state Superior Court in Stamford.
According to the suit, F.H, visited the Tully Health Center, located on Strawberry Hill Court, on February 11, 2010 with a chief complaint of “flank pain.” After performing one test – a CT-scan of his abdomen – F.H. was released from the center that same morning.
Nine days later F.H. was rushed to the Stamford Hospital by ambulance. He was listed in critical condition. A CT-scan was taken – this time of his chest – and the pulmonary embolism was detected.
A pulmonary embolism is a blockage of one or more arteries in the lungs.
While in intensive care, F.H. died the following day.
On February 22 an autopsy was performed. According to the lawsuit, it was determined that the cause of death was pulmonary embolisms – weeks old – in both of F.H.’s lungs.
The lawyer for S.W., Craig Yankwitt, stated that F.H. would not have died had medical staff at the Tully Center performed the proper testing prior to releasing him.
Yankwitt wrote, “They were simply not permitted to discharge without ruling out whether he was suffering from a life-threatening condition. Had they performed the additional testing, Mr. (F.H.) would still be alive.”
Yankwitt said that due to F.H.’s age, 46, his lost earnings account for a large element of the damages, which are sought at several million dollars. F.H. was the director of project and portfolio analysis for a Japanese pharmaceutical company based in New Jersey. He had advanced degrees in both chemistry and business administration. He leaves behind his wife and their six-year-old son.
Named in the suit are: Stamford Health System, Emergency Medicine Physicians, and M.T., a physician who directly treated FH. at the Tully Center.
Both the spokesman for Stamford Health System, and the lawyer representing Emergency Medicine Physicians and M.T., refused to comment.
In 2002 Stamford hospital began contracting doctors from Emergency Medicine Physicians for its emergency room in an effort to cut down wait times for patients.
If you suspect that the death or injury of a loved one was due to neglect or failure by the part of a physician or medical center – you have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Contact a medical malpractice attorney to help you right away.