On October 22, 2024, after a two-week trial, an Iowa medical malpractice wrongful death jury returned its verdict in the amount of $1.645 million against a physician whom the jury found to have not properly treated a patient’s infection in a rehabilitation facility following surgery.
Steve Schwartz had spine surgery at University of Iowa Hospitals in March 2020 during which surgical hardware was placed in his spine. After his inpatient hospitalization, Schwartz was sent to Cedar Manor in Tipton, Ohio, for rehabilitation. Michelle M. Sprengelmeyer, M.D . was his physician at Cedar Manor.
Schwartz’s daughter’s Iowa medical malpractice wrongful death lawsuit alleged that Sprengelmeyer failed to follow the discharge instructions from University of Iowa Hospitals to continue with antibiotics to treat Schwartz’s MRSA infection. As a result of the failure to provide antibiotics as ordered, Schwartz’s untreated MRSA infection led to his death in July 2020 after he was discharged to home for hospice care.
Schwartz’s daughter stated after the verdict: “It’s difficult to reason that a common infection took (my dad) down. He rode ATVs, hopped in his car for cross-country road trips to surprise us (in California). He was a strong, active man who was just starting to enjoy his retirement. We thought he was getting the care he needed after surgery. It didn’t make sense that he wasn’t improving. It was too late when we discovered the infection wasn’t being treated with antibiotics. It was awful, my dad deserved better care.””
The daughter’s Ohio medical malpractice lawyer stated after the verdict, “We are pleased that the jury held Dr. Sprengelmeyer accountable. In preparing for this case we learned that the overall success rate for treatment of spinal infection involving hardware with suppressive antibiotics is nearly 80%. A simple, well-known treatment of antibiotics would have saved Steve’s life.”
The majority of data indicate that MRSA increases mortality and morbidity in seniors, nursing home patients and those with organ dysfunction. Individuals with end-stage liver disease, renal insufficiency and those admitted to the ICU have high mortality rates when there is an associated MRSA infection. The mortality rates vary from 5-60%, depending on the patient population and site of infection. More important, more patients with MRSA are now undergoing surgery, and in at least 40% of patients, a central line was the cause of the infection. About 60% of patients do acquire MRSA within 48 hours despite having no healthcare risks.
If you or a loved one may have been injured (or worse) as a result of medical negligence in treating MRSA in Iowa or in another U.S. state, you should promptly seek the legal advice of an Iowa medical malpractice attorney, or a medical malpractice attorney in your state, who may investigate your MRSA medical malpractice claim and represent you or your loved one in a MRSA medical malpractice case, if appropriate.
Click here to visit our website or call us on our toll-free line in the United States (800-295-3959) to be connected with medical malpractice lawyers in your state who may be willing to help you with your medical malpractice claim.
Turn to us when you don’t know where to turn.
