Medical Malpractice
CT scan with iodine contrast wasn't advisable, estate said
| (P) $9,505,000.00 | |
| Failure to Treat, Medical Malpractice - Negligent Treatment, Wrongful Death | |
| Rajdath Ramkissoon, Personal Representative of the Estate of Laura Ramkissoon v. Continucare Med Mgmt Inc, Doing Business As Continucare Med Group, Cunningham & Raskin Inc, Virginia McIntosh, MD and Robert A. Rosenweig MD, No. CA-09062596 | |
| Broward County Circuit Court, 17th, FL | |
| Patti Englander Henning |
|
| 11-08-2012 |
- Julie A. Hager; Law Offices of Julie A. Hager LLC; Fort Lauderdale, FL, for Rajdath Ramkissoon, Estate of Laura Ramkissoon
- Brian McAlary M.D.; Anesthesiology; Burr Ridge, IL called by: Julie Hager
- Harry Jacob M.D.; Hematology; Minneapolis, MN called by: Julie Hager
- Evan T. Marowitz; Michaud, Mittelmark, Marowitz & Asrani, P.A.; Boca Raton, FL, for Continucare Med Mgmt Inc., Cunningham & Raskin Inc., Virginia McIntosh, MD, Robert A. Rosenweig MD
- Robert Kaufmann; Internal Medicine; Atlanta, GA called by: Evan Marowitz
On May 18, 2007, Laura Ramkissoon, 54, a mortgage broker, went to the Continucare Medical Group clinic in Tamarac to get a CT scan with contrast that had been ordered by her primary care physician, Virginia McIntosh, to check a mass in her left leg. On May 22, Ramkissoon, who suffered from autoimmune hemolytic anemia, presented to the clinic with her husband complaining of flu-like symptoms and pink urine. Ramkissoon was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, given a prescription for an antibiotic, and sent home.
The flu-like symptoms continued and on May 24, Ramkissoon was taken to the emergency room of West Side Regional Medical Center. She died the next day after suffering oxygen deprivation and organ failure.
Rajdath Ramkissoon, acting on behalf of his wife's estate, sued Continucare Med Mgmt Group, d/b/a Continucare Med Group, and McIntosh for negligence. Also sued were the radiology lab Cunningham & Raskin Inc. and Dr. Robert A. Rosenweig, who administered the CT scan.
The estate's counsel dismissed Cunningham & Raskin during opening statements in the trial. Rosenweig was dismissed by the court before trial.
The estate's counsel claimed that McIntosh referred Ramkissoon for a CT scan despite her rheumatology specialist advising that a scan with contrast involving injection of an iodine-based chemical was not necessary or desirable. She claimed that the iodine to which Ramkissoon was allergic may have aggravated her anemia. She further claimed that Ramkissoon was seen by a medical assistant who did not take her vital signs on the day she was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. She claimed that McIntosh was at the clinic but never saw Ramkissoon. She claimed that Ramkissoon's flu-like symptoms and pink urine were signs that her red blood cells were dying. She claimed that if Ramkissoon would have been treated properly and sent to a hospital or hematologist that day, she would have had a 100 percent chance of survival.
McIntosh claimed that she told Ramkissoon's husband on May 23, the day after she was diagnosed with the urinary tract infection, to take her to the hospital.
The estate's counsel claimed that McIntosh and Continucare failed to diagnose Ramkissoon's more serious condition. She further claimed that the defendants' failure to treat her resulted in a deterioration of her condition that led to her death.
Ramkissoon's husband sought to recover damages for pain and suffering.
The estate's counsel asked the jury to award $10 million.
Defense counsel claimed that Ramkissoon received care that was within the standard of care. He further claimed that it was not a deviation from the standard of care for a medical assistant to treat a patient.
The jury rendered a verdict for the plaintiff, finding McIntosh 70 percent negligent and Continucare 30 percent negligent. It determined that damages totaled $9,505,000.
Estate of Laura Ramkissoon
$5,000 Wrongful Death: Funeral Burial Expense
Rajdath Ramkissoon
$9,500,000 Personal Injury: pain and suffering
Defense counsel filed motions for a new trial and to reduce the damages award.
This report is based on information that was provided by plaintiff's counsel. Defense counsel did not respond to the reporter's phone calls.
