2024Doe, age 75, had a history of heart failure, obesity, high blood pressure and shortness of breath. She presented to defendant hospital emergency room with high fever and elevated blood sugar and blood pressure. She had been at the same ER the day before with increased shortness of breath and inability to urinate. She entered the ER in her own wheelchair. Two transfer technicians attempted to transfer Doe, who weighed about 350 pounds, from her wheelchair to a hospital stretcher, but Doe momentarily blacked out and the transfer technicians attempted to lower her to the floor. Doe suffered a fractured left femur, injured her left ankle, and underwent surgery to fix her fracturedfemur. Plaintiff’s hospital nurse expert was of the opinion that Doe required hands-on assistance by both transfer technicians during the transfer thus breaching the standard of care, and two technicians would have prevented her hard landing. Doe died from unrelated causes 11 months later and was survived by her three children. A survivorship action was filed. The parties settled the case several months prior to trial for $265,000.”
