Johnson & Bell Shareholder, Matthew L. Johnson, obtained a defense verdict in favor of a physician and his medical group in a wrongful death medical malpractice lawsuit seeking $5 million in damages. In this case, the patient suffered a sudden cardiac death just after exercising. He was 48 years old when he died. The allegation against the doctor was that he failed to timely test for and diagnose diabetes and high cholesterol, creating a high risk for a cardiac event. An autopsy of the patient revealed that he had two arteries that were over 90 percent blocked with plaque, which plaintiff argued was caused by four years of untreated high cholesterol and diabetes. Plaintiff's attorney sought $5 million in loss of society and grief damages for the patient's two children. The defense argued that the doctor's care over the years met the standard of care. He appropriately treated the patient's hypertension, and promptly diagnosed diabetes after the patient presented with symptoms a few weeks before his death. The defense presented experts in internal medicine and cardiology who both testified the sudden cardiac death would probably not have been avoided even if the patient was on an anti-cholesterol medication beginning in 2009. After three hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict for the defense. ST et al v EH, MD, 2013 L 003040, Hon. Judge Daniel M. Lynch (Cook Co., IL)
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