Family files lawsuit against radiologist, 2 other doctors, 2 California hospitals for medical negligence
In December 2016, a 59-year-old patient from Middletown, California, saw doctors twice in eight days at two different hospitals for upper back pain. The day after her second visit, she died after her aorta ruptured.
The patient’s family has now filed a lawsuit against the California hospitals—Adventist Health Clearlake in Clearlake and Adventist Health St. Helena in St. Helena—and three doctors, including a radiologist. The suit alleges medical negligence, according to a report from the Napa Valley Register.
According to the family’s lawsuit, a CT scan was ordered when the patient first visited Adventist Health Clearlake. Signs of an aortic tear were present, but doctors still sent the patient home. The lawsuit also alleges that the CT scan was not the test that should have been ordered in this specific case.
In addition, according to the lawsuit, when the patient visited Adventist Health St. Helena days later for the same issue, doctors there used information from the initial hospital visit and determined she could be sent home.
To read the full story from the Napa Valley Register, click the link below.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.