Georgia Thompson died in 2014 after allegedly living with undiagnosed tuberculosis (TB) for 6 years. This nightmare started in July 2008 when doctors at Kings County Hospital failed to prescribe the appropriate TB medicine following a TB skin test that returned a positive result indicating that Thompson was suffering from the disease.
A lawsuit has been filed by the family of Thompson stating that Kings County hospital doctors administered the wrong care to Thompson despite a clear diagnosis of TB.
The attorneys representing the family have revealed that this is one of the worst cases they have seen of medical malpractice and patient neglect as the mistreatment was spread over such a long period of time.
The case is being heard in the Brooklyn Supreme Court where it was revealed that doctors failed to detect the presence of a mass in the one of Thompson’s lungs despite an X-ray report that indicated the likely presence of TB.
Thompson, from 2008 up to 2014, had to live with TB that had not been diagnosed until she returned to the same hospital in March 2014, where she was misdiagnosed again and sent home reportedly suffering from pneumonia.
On August 6, 2014, Thompson entered hospital with a severe cough. The tests that followed indicated that TB was the culprit, causing the cough, but no treatment was forthcoming. A week or so later, surgeons took it upon themselves to remove some of Thompson’s right lung. This it has been revealed by a surgical expert is not the accepted standard of care and has a high risk of the disease spreading further. Following the operation there was a rapid deterioration in Thompson’s health, but it took until August 19 for anti-TB medicine to be ordered and it was 4 days from that date that it was actually administered.
When it got to August 26, Thompson was put into a Rotoprone bed which is supposed to stop fluid from building up in her lungs, but by this time it was too late and the 40-year-old died.
Currently, the lawsuit against the hospital is in progress, but so far what has been reported appears to be a clear case of medical malpractice causing the death of this young woman. When the full extent of the events surrounding the death are established and if it is proven to be a case of medical malpractice, the family may be entitled to a settlement that includes the cost of medical treatment of their family member, a cash payment for pain and suffering of the family and an amount for loss of comfort and consortium due to her death. If she actively provided a regular income for her family, a calculation will be made of any likely loss of income well into the future.
There is a lot to gain financially for the family if they win the lawsuit, but nothing will bring back their loved one. They will also feel that they have been able to take part in gaining justice for their loss while offering a reminder to hospitals that their job is to administer the right care and treatment and not cause unnecessary death.
If you believe you or a loved one has suffered injury due to medical malpractice in New York you will need an experienced attorney to fight for a settlement on your behalf. Richard S. Jaffe Esq. is an experienced personal injury attorney who can assess your situation at a free consultation and fight tirelessly to obtain the compensation you deserve.
You can contact him for a free consultation at the Law Offices of Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP 2001 Marcus Avenue, Suite W295, Lake Success, NY 11042. Phone: 516-358-6900 or toll free: 800-483-6149.
