A 63-year-old man who was serving a 15-month prison sentence for tax evasion sought out a physician’s assistant (PA) at the prison’s infirmary to address pain and coughing that he had been experiencing for three to five days. The PA diagnosed his condition as the flu, recommending rest and over-the-counter medication.
After returning to his cell, the man developed shortness of breath and his vital signs worsened. The PA prescribed antibiotics. Shortly afterward, the man was found dead in his cell.
The man’s wife sued the United States for failing to provide adequate medical care to her husband during his prison sentence. According to the medical malpractice complaint, the PA should have taken a chest X-ray, run blood tests, and transferred the man to an ER. The parties reached a settlement of $750,000.
If medical negligence has taken the life of your loved one, a wrongful death case can provide you and your family with the justice, compensation, and closure you deserve for your overwhelming loss. Please contact Wapner, Newman, Wigrizer, Brecher & Miller today to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney.
