$5.5M Jury Verdict: Death of a 69-Year-Old Man with Mesenteric Ischemia

Our case involved a 69-year-old Stamford resident who presented to the Stamford Hospital ER 3 times in the span of 6 days in 2018, each time with textbook signs and symptoms of classic mesenteric ischemia. Our claims at trial were limited to the second ER visit and the physician and PA who saw our client that day. In short, we claimed that they failed to recognize the fact that our client had chronic mesenteric ischemia, took an inadequate history that would have enabled them to reach the diagnosis, failed to obtain a vascular consult to evaluate him in the ER, and wrongfully discharged him home.

When he returned 3 days later, his condition had progressed towards an acute, lethal form of mesenteric ischemia, and he deteriorated such that it would take much longer to optimize him for an endovascular procedure (time that would not have been necessary had he remained in the hospital 3 days later). Sadly, he was not optimized in time to prevent his bowel from losing all blood flow, perforating, and causing an abdominal catastrophe that led to his death.

We are extremely happy for our clients who withstood 4 years of litigation and were confident in their convictions that their loved one should not have died. The jury’s verdict of approximately $5.5M vindicated their position and will finally allow them to find closure.

The verdict has drawn widespread media coverage, including:

https://www.courant.com/2024/04/19/ct-widow-estate-win-5-5m-in-medical-case-there-was-abdominal-catastrophe-and-his-death-lawyer/

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/stamford-mejia-hospital-er-malpractice-19410016.php