Meriden Family Wins $15.4m for Fatal Medical Procedure Error

Meriden Family Wins $15.4m for Fatal Medical Procedure Error

Introduction

A jury in New Haven has awarded $15.4 million in damages to the family of a Meriden woman who died after a medical procedure, due to what her family’s attorney described as botched anesthesia care.

The 57-year-old woman passed away in 2017 after the medical team overseeing her anesthesia failed to recognize that she had suffered a cardiorespiratory collapse during a brief outpatient procedure at MidState Medical Center, according to the attorney.

The procedure, which lasted just 15 minutes, required anesthesia and was managed by the Meriden-Wallingford Anesthesia Group, the defendant in the case. Attempts to reach the group’s lawyers for comment were unsuccessful.

During the procedure, the woman experienced a cardiorespiratory collapse, a situation where the heart stops functioning. The family’s attorney stated that the medical team failed to properly recognize the emergency and did not take the necessary steps to resuscitate her. This included not performing chest compressions or calling a code, actions that are considered standard practice in such cases. As a result, the woman suffered catastrophic brain damage and spent the last 30 days of her life in the intensive care unit.

In a statement, her sons expressed their gratitude to the jury for the verdict, noting that their mother had always been a fighter. "Her seven grandkids, one of whom was born after her death, were the light of her life. We will all carry her memory and fighting spirit with us for the rest of our lives," they said.