Trial News

Doe, 58, went to a hospital, complaining of radiating arm pain. After a workup, he received a diagnosis of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. He was transferred to Roe medical center, where he underwent a coronary angiogram. This revealed a lesion on the obtuse marginal branch of Doe’s left circumflex artery. His treating providers performed a procedure to stent the lesion, during which difficulties were encountered that caused Doe to suffer a major dissection of his left anterior ascending artery and circumflex artery. Despite treatment, including placement of an Impella pump, Doe died. He had been a construction supervisor earning approximately $125,000 annually and is survived by his wife and two adult daughters.

Doe sued Roe medical center, alleging its providers had violated the standard of care by attempting to place a stent in the lesion because the myocardial tissue around the lesion had already expired and because the obtuse marginal branch supplies less than 5% of blood flow to the left ventricle. Suit also alleged that once difficulties were encountered, the providers should have stopped the procedure.

The defense argued that it had been reasonable and within the standard of care to place the stent following the angiogram.

The parties settled for $625,000.

Citation: Doe v. Roe Med. Ctr., Confidential Dkt. No. (Cal. Super. Ct. San Bernardino Cnty. May 2019).

Plaintiff counsel: Jennifer R. Johnson and AAJ member Daniel M. Hodes, both of Irvine, Calif.

Plaintiff expert: John MacGregor, interventional cardiology, San Francisco.

Defense expert: C. Alan Brown, interventional cardiology, Santa Barbara, Calif.