In a Pennsylvania medical malpractice suit, the family of a man who died of an esophageal rupture recovered $1.08 million. Michael Scarpa arrived at the Tyler Memorial Hospital emergency room in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania near Scranton with chest pains and severe vomiting. In the ER, the 55-year-old man was tested for infrapulmonary effusion, or fluid in the pulmonary cavity. ER physician Dr. Daniel Costner judged the tests negative and sent Scarpa home. Two days later, Scarpa collapsed and died. After Scarpa's death, investigation found that a second doctor had reviewed Scarpa's test results and believed they did show infrapulmonary effusion. The delayed diagnosis cost Scarpa his life.
Personal injury attorneys for the Scarpa family sued the hospital and doctors on a medical malpractice claim. Attorneys argued that Scarpa might have lived had physicians followed hospital policy on reading x-rays and inquired about Scarpa's previous esophageal surgery.
At the conclusion of the Pennsylvania medical malpractice trial, a jury found for the Scarpa family, awarding them $1.2 million. The court found the hospital and two doctors 90$ liable for Scarpa's death and Scarpa 10% liable for failing to reveal his prior esophageal surgery, reducing the award to $1.08 million.
Patients and their families suffer when doctors and hospitals fail to correctly diagnose diseases or injuries. In Philadelphia's backyard, the Scarpa family lost a father and husband because doctors failed to confer properly, delaying correct diagnosis until it was too late. Philadelphia medical malpractice suits are complex. Success can hang on easily overlooked critical information or testimony by trained medical experts. Philadelphia medical malpractice claims require expert investigation and evaluation by experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorneys who specialize in medical malpractice cases.
