PHILADELPHIA – A Willow Grove widower alleges medical malpractice from a local medical facility and its doctors resulted in the untimely death of his wife from a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
James Springfield (acting as Administrator of the Estate of Anne Springfield filed suit on Feb. 6 in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, against Abington Medical Center, Abington Jefferson Health, Jefferson Health, Dr. William T. Ford, Dr. Jennifer Schwartz, Dr. Rachel Ramirez and Abington Adult Medical Associates, all of Abington.
On Aug. 28, 2016, Anne Springfield presented to the Emergency Department at Abington Memorial Hospital, with “a documented chief complaint of lightheadedness, generalized aches and fever,” according to the lawsuit.
Starting several days later, defendant doctors who saw Anne prescribed her dosages of Heparin.
“On Sept. 3, 2016, at or about 10:01 a.m., Dr. Schwartz ordered Heparin 5000 units of injectable syringe every 8 hours to be administered to Anne Springfield, which was administered at or about 10:17 a.m.”
The following day, Anne was found unresponsive and it was learned she had suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
“On Sept. 4, 2016, Anne Springfield was intubated and emergently taken to the Neurology Intensive Care Unit and which time her condition continued to worsen. A repeat head CT demonstrated a new right frontal hemorrhage and Palliative Care was initiated. On Sept. 9, 2016, after multiple family meetings, care was withdrawn and Anne Springfield was sent to hospice. On Sept. 10, 2016, Anne Springfield died. The immediate cause of her death listed on her death certificate is “Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,” the complaint read.
The plaintiff says later communication from the hospital confirmed “an outdated laboratory value was inadvertently referenced in the process of adjusting the dose of intravenous heparin for Anne Springfield. Anne Springfield abnormal PTT values were dismissed as erroneous. These error resulted in Anne Springfield experiencing a serious bleeding complication and death” and “[Springfield] experienced a complication related to heparin dosing on Sept. 4, 2016.”
“At all times relevant hereto, defendants failed to order appropriate medication and failed to timely and appropriately monitor and appreciate laboratory results, specifically PTT levels and complaints of neck and head pain for Anne Springfield in departure from acceptable standards of medical care. On Sept. 4, 2016, despite having abnormally elevated PTT levels and progressive symptoms of Heparin overdosing, Anne Springfield’s Heparin medications were continued causing irreversible injuries,” the lawsuit adds.
The plaintiff says the defendants’ negligence caused the decedent the following medical maladies: persistent head and neck pain; subarachnoid hemorrhage; requirement for intubation; neurological devastation; right frontal hemorrhage, and death.
With respect to negligence, corporate negligence and violation of the Pennsylvania Wrongful Death Act, the plaintiff is seeking damages individually, jointly and severally, for compensatory and punitive damages, in an amount in excess of $50,000, and in excess of the prevailing arbitration limits, exclusive of pre-judgment interest, post-judgment interest and costs.
The plaintiffs are represented by Robert Ross and Joshua Van Naarden of Ross Feller Casey, in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas case 170103825
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nickpennrecord@gmail.com