When a doctor releases a patient from a hospital in Maryland, the patient may understandably assume that his or her health is fine. However, occasionally, doctors make a medical mistake and release patients whose conditions are not fine at all. One patient in another state lost her life after being discharged from the hospital while allegedly suffering pneumonia, thus sparking a lawsuit.
The woman's estate administrator recently sued the hospital and the two doctors whose negligence she believes caused the woman's death. She blames the death on them releasing the woman to go home even though she was suffering from pneumonia. According to the administrator's complaint, the woman was in respiratory distress when she was released. The administrator said the woman's case of the illness was life-threatening.
The patient reportedly passed away the day after her discharge. The administrator complained that the doctors should not have released the woman, as she had been wheezing and her blood count was low as well. The plaintiff is seeking damages for funeral costs, medical care, the loss of companionship and mental anguish.
Patients trust their doctors to make wise and informed decisions about their care. If a doctor fails to exercise a reasonable degree of care, a medical mistake can cause a patient to become sicker or even lead to death. It is within the rights of the family members of a patient who has died due to a doctor's negligence to assess all of their legal options in Maryland. Although financial compensation will not restore the life of the deceased patient, it may help the family to experience a sense of closure in such a tragic case.
