On July 15, 2024, the State of Florida Department of Health filed an Administrative Complaint against a Florida physician who allegedly failed to diagnose a 75-year-old patient’s lung infection (pneumonia) and failed to refer him for specialized or emergency care that resulted in compromised lung function and septic shock. The patient spent 42 days in a medically-induced coma as a result, and suffered permanent injury and damage to his lungs. He also developed a lung abscess.
Factual Allegations
On January 14, 2019, the patient had gone to the Ocana Medical Center that was operated by the respondent physician, complaining of a cough, sore throat, and generalized body aches. Ten days later, the patient returned to Ocana Medical Center with a deep cough causing chest pains and upper left back pains. The physician did not perform a physical examination (at least he did not document a physical examination) on that date but nonetheless prescribed an Albuteral inhaler, Prednisone, and Tramadol.
The next day, the patient returned to Ocana Medical Center with complaints of left mid-back pain that worsened with a deep breath. Again, the physician did not perform a physical examination of the patient (at least he did not document a physical examination) on that date.
Three days later, the patient went to a hospital where he was diagnosed with severe pneumonia and placed in the medically-induced coma.
The Department of Health alleges that the physician breached the standard of care by failing to refer the patient for specialized or emergency consultation on January 24, 2019 and/or January 25, 2019. The Department of Health seeks revocation or suspension of his license and/or other remedies.
According to Florida Office of Insurance Regulation records, the Florida medical malpractice lawsuit filed by the patient that alleged the failure to diagnose and treat a lung infection, resulting in prolonged hospital admission, was settled for $237,500, which was paid on January 4, 2022. The settlement was reached more than 90 days after the Florida medical malpractice lawsuit was filed and prior to or during the course of the mandatory settlement conference. The medical malpractice insurance policy limit for the physician was $250,000.
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If you or a loved one have suffered serious harm (or worse) as a result of medical negligence in Florida or in another U.S. state, you should promptly find a Florida medical malpractice lawyer, or a medical malpractice lawyer in your state, who may investigate your medical malpractice claim for you and represent you or your loved one in a medical malpractice case, if appropriate.
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