Our client had a C-section delivery of her son at Advocate South Suburban Hospital. The surgery itself was uneventful with a normal blood loss, but the obstetrician's post-operative orders did not call for the application of sequential compression devices (SCDs) until the mother was up and walking — ignoring her numerous risk factors for the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Subsequent orders to get her up within eight hours of delivery were ignored by the nursing staff. The following day, she suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest and pulmonary embolism. Resuscitation proved useless. An autopsy revealed that she died from massive bilateral pulmonary emboli. We brought suit on behalf of the estate for the violations of the standard of care and secured a $3.5 million settlement.
$3.5 Million
R. v. Advocate Health and Hospitals, et al