El-Shikh v. Anonymous Hospital
Claim:
Lead trial counsel for defendant-Hospital and its pharmacy in wrongful death action by family of an elderly female patient who was admitted to hospital with atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure. The patient received overlapping doses of the anticoagulants, Pradaxa and Lovenox, as stroke prophylaxis with the plan to discontinue Lovenox once Pradaxa was at therapeutic levels; however, after two days of therapy the patient developed an abdominal bleed that could not be stopped and she died. The medical review panel returned an unfavorable opinion. The allegations against the Hospital included negligent failure by the nurses to discover the bleed sooner, negligent failure of the nurses to notify the physician of the bleed in a timely manner, pharmacy negligence in permitting the use of both anticoagulants simultaneously, and negligent failure of the pharmacy to warn the defendant-physician about the risk of a significant bleed in using the medications together. After six days of testimony, the jury returned a verdict for the defendant-Hospital and defendant-physician in less than two hours.
Outcome:
Verdict for defendants.
Of Counsel
219-931-0560
