A jury ordered a major healthcare provider to pay $45 million to the surviving family of a 55-year-old, father of six, who died of a heart attack while under their watch.
On April 9, the jury from Orange County ordered Orlando Health Inc. to grant $15 million each to the wife of James S. and their two children who are under 25 years old. The family accused Orlando Health of medical malpractice for delaying urgent medical attention when he suffered a ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) on July 26, 2020, and died just a few hours later.
STEMI is a serious type of heart attack in which one of the heart's main supply arteries is completely or partially blocked. It can cause permanent heart damage and, if not treated promptly, may result in death.
Around 8 a.m. on July 26, 2020, James was rushed to South Seminole Hospital (SSH) in Longwood after suffering a STEMI, but the hospital had no cardiac catheterization laboratory to treat him. The simplest and quickest option would have been to transfer the patient to a nearby hospital, just four miles away, that had the capacity to save James from a life-threatening condition.
Instead, Orlando Health chose to fly him to Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), located approximately 16 miles south of Longwood, ultimately wasting valuable time. The lawsuit revealed that the healthcare provider wasted more than an hour, which could have been spent clearing the blockage on his arteries if James had been rushed to a nearby hospital.
The situation only worsened for James as the helicopter that airlifted him to ORMC experienced significant delays. Before taking off, the crew had to burn fuel for 23 minutes due to weight concerns.
When they arrived at ORMC, James' condition gradually deteriorated, and at 9:54 a.m., the victim died of a heart attack.
If you or a loved one has suffered due to medical malpractice, you don't have to face it alone. The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary is here to help. With years of experience handling complex medical negligence cases, our team is dedicated to fighting for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Time Is of the Essence: Where Orlando Health Went Wrong
Around 38% of patients rushed to the emergency department with acute coronary syndrome have STEMI, a medical emergency in which time is muscle and minutes matter.
To save patients with STEMI from complications and even death, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recommended a door-to-balloon time of less than 90 minutes for all facilities capable of carrying out percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Should the need to transfer to another PCI-capable hospital arise, the suggested door-to-balloon time should not exceed 120 minutes.
Door-to-balloon time refers to the interval between a patient's arrival at the emergency room and when a catheter with a balloon on the tip is used to clear the blocked coronary artery during PCI.
However, in James's case, transporting him from his residence to ORMC took nearly two hours in total, without any medical intervention, all because the nearest hospital with a cardiac catheterization laboratory did not belong to Orlando Health's network.
How The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary Can Help in Medical Malpractice Cases
Medical malpractice and errors ranked as the third leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming as many as 250,000 lives annually, and sadly, it remains a prevalent issue in Florida.
When you or someone you care about finds themselves in a similar situation, we highly encourage you to contact a medical malpractice lawyer like The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary.
The legal system involving medical malpractice lawsuits can be overwhelming, but you can count on our team to provide not only the proper legal support to hold negligent healthcare providers accountable but also the compassion you and your loved ones need during these challenging times.