Lancaster Wrongful Death Leads to Hospital Malpractice Lawsuit
A 70-year-old man died after he jumped out of a window at Lancaster General Hospital. According to this article, his family is suing the hospital and two doctors who cared for him.
Last summer, the man threw himself through a closed, eighth-story window at the Duke Street hospital and died. He had been hospitalized there for mental health problems. He had a history of seizures and anxiety. He threatened to leave the hospital and jump out a window.
The lawsuit claimed that the man was agitated and paranoid, and had threatened to jump out of the window five days before he did. According to the family’s attorney, the proper steps to safeguard him on the unit he was on were not taken.
The man’s medical doctor signed an order to “transfer to psych unit if OK [with] psychiatry” three days before his death. But in a later progress note the psychiatrist said he did not see indication for psychiatric admission. He likely had an underlying dementia and was recommended for neuropsychological testing as soon as possible.
Police officers found the man outside the hospital. He then was returned to his room and, according to the article, he pushed a patient care assistant across the room and threw himself out of the window. He died a short time later.
The lawsuit alleges his death was the result of negligence, carelessness, recklessness, and gross negligence.
When a patient, such as the man in this accident, has been treated with substandard care by a doctor or healthcare provider in Pennsylvania and has suffered an injury or disability as a result, the patients have been the victim of PA medical malpractice. Misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose, surgical errors, prescription drug errors, birth injuries, failure to treat diseases, delay in treatment, and negligence are just a few examples of medical malpractice. People of all ages are at risk for medical malpractice, including children, adults, and the elderly.
Medical malpractice is a distressing situation, and the Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Cherry, Fieger, and Marciano, LLP, will make the process as simple as possible for you. If you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice in Pennsylvania, please contact Cherry, Fieger, and Marciano, LLP today for a free consultation with a Philadelphia PA medical malpractice attorney.
