In a case that might concern Nova Scotia patients, a deceased woman’s family is suing a hospital after she died from an infection the day after she was discharged from the facility. The medical malpractice suit names the Montreal hospital and four doctors as having been negligent, though none of the doctors had a negative disciplinary record. The four doctors who are named in the complaint each examined the woman the day after a painful exam and decided to discharge her.
The lawsuit alleges that doctors’ conduct resulted in the 28-year-old woman being discharged from the hospital without a proper diagnosis. A few weeks prior to her death, the woman had complained of exhaustion and had several tests taken to determine her ailment. She visited the emergency room and underwent an uncomfortable and painful pelvic exam after complaining of groin pain on May 24, 2010. She was prescribed painkillers and ordered not to work, but no specific diagnosis was rendered.
On May 26, 2010, the patient’s boyfriend discovered her lying beside her bed with a pale face. He also alleged that she was discolored and in pain. She was pronounced dead in the afternoon due to a streptococcus infection. The family’s lawsuit alleges that medical professionals in the hospital had conducted a test on the woman’s urine, which revealed the presence of the bacteria six days before her death.
Because records show that the doctors discharged the woman despite the infection, the family’s lawsuit may result in an adequate settlement. One of the woman’s family members claims that the $245,000 civil suit is not important, but he would prefer there to be a law in place that prevents such incidents from occurring to other families.
Source: Toronto Sun, “Quebec family sues after woman dies day after ER visit “, November 08, 2013