The family of a 41-year-old woman, who allegedly died in a Pennsylvania abortion clinic operated by a doctor charged with murdering seven infants that were born alive, has filed a wrongful death suit against the doctor. The suit alleges that the doctor contributed to the woman’s wrongful death by giving her a lethal combination of drugs and failing to adequately check on her condition.
The woman, a 41-year-old immigrant from Nepal, was allegedly given labor-inducing drugs and painkillers while she waited for the doctor to arrive, and that the doctor’s unlicensed and untrained staff did not monitor her vital signs or attempt to resuscitate her. The woman was pronounced dead at a hospital the day after the procedure
Whether they occur in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or elsewhere, wrongful deaths caused by the negligence of a person or institution is devastating for the victim’s family. In addition to the emotional toll taken by a loved one’s loss, there are also the financial implications of lost wages, medical bills and other expenses stemming from the wrongful death. The breach of a duty of care towards a patient by a doctor or hospital like in this case is an especially egregious example, and is very harmful for the medical profession and patients.
Hospitals may be sued by the families of victims in a wrongful death suit under the legal doctrine of Respondeat Superior, which states that employers may be held liable for the harmful actions of employees if the harmful action in question was carried out in the course of the defendant’s employment with the employer. In this way, a hospital can be held liable for the wrongful actions of a doctor or nurse.
Anyone impacted by a wrongful death has the legal right to seek a fair and just remedy. The loved ones or family members of the victim may seek a personal injury judgment against the defendant, and receive monetary damages for their pain and suffering. Those who have lost a loved one due to negligence have a way to right the wrong in the court of law.
Source: The New Jersey Herald, “Relatives describe woman’s death after PA abortion,” Mary Claire Dale, April 17, 2013