Oh, et al. v. Jeffries, M.D., et al.

Summary

In this medical malpractice case, plaintiff claims defendant health care providers failed to meet the standard of care in treating a patient, leading to that patient's death from organ failure following a days-long leak of lymphatic fluid, or chyle.

Plaintiff claims:

Defendant attending physician did not adequately address imaging showing fluid in the patient's abdomen and then did not follow-up on abnormal fluid drainage following a suprapubic catheterization procedure.

Defendant urologist improperly acted surrounding his diagnosis of a urinary obstruction in the patient.

Defendant radiologist improperly placed the suprapubic catheter in the patient and did not follow up to determine that the catheter was misplaced.

Defendant nephrologist failed to follow up on abnormal fluid drainage following the catheterization.

Defendants contend that the chyle leak was an extraordinarily rare event and that they properly worked through the patient's symptoms, noting the patient's age (76) and the array of health conditions afflicting him. Defendants further contend there was no reason to believe the catheter had been misplaced.

Defendants urologist and nephrologist also contend that they adequately treated the patient within the relatively limited scope of their duties as part of the the treatment team.

Outcome

Verdict for the plaintiff against defendants Amy Wyrzykowski, M.D., and Barry Jeffries, M.D.

$15 million.

Apportionment of fault:
Amy Wyrzykowski, M.D.: 67.5%
Barry Jeffries, M.D.: 32.5%

Verdict for defendants Khalid Iqbal, M.D. and Thomas Schoborg, M.D.