Posted on 07/07/2005 1:20:28 PM PDT by Pharmboy
Los Angeles (Reuters) A California woman is suing a hospital for wrongful death because her husband fainted and suffered a fatal injury after helping delivery room staff give her a pain-killing injection.
Jeanette Passalaqua, 32, filed the suit against Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Southern California Permanente Medical Group Inc. in San Bernardino County state court last week.
In June 2004, Passalaqua's husband, Steven Passalaqua, was asked by Kaiser staff to hold and steady his wife while an employee inserted an epidural needle into her back, court papers said.
The sight of the needle caused Steven Passalaqua, 33, to faint and he fell backward, striking his head on an aluminum cap molding at the base of the wall.
Jeanette Passalaqua delivered the couple's second child, a boy, later that day. Steven Passalaqua, however, suffered a brain hemorrhage as a result of his fall and died two days later, the lawsuit said.
The suit seeks unspecified damages related to Steven Passalaqua's death and to Jeanette Passalaqua's emotional distress at being widowed with two young children.
Because Passalaqua was solicited by Kaiser to assist in the epidural, the lawsuit said, the hospital "owed him a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent foreseeable injuries resulting from his participation."
A spokesman for Oakland, California-based Kaiser Permanente called the death "a tragic accident."
"Some of the allegations in the lawsuit are simply that -- allegations. The legal process is under way and we should respect that," said Kaiser spokesman Jim Anderson.
Yeah, then they can look dorky in all the shots of them holding the newborn as if THEY birthed the baby!
I pray this does not interfer with the bonding that occurs between a family due to being a part of the birthing. My son cut his son's umbilical cord!
If he was, in fact, asked by the staff to do this then, imo, the hospital bears some blame.
I don't know how much she's asking for but if the staff did ask him to do this they were taking a risk they should not have.
What would have happened if she would have moved, in spite of him holding her steady, and the epi had gone wrong and paralyzed her?
In a medical procedure you don't involve a layman unless it's an emergency, and an epi is NOT an emergency.
And another thing, God bless this rep of Kaiser for saying this. I've made this argument TIME AND AGAIN on FR and anywhere I speak up and voice an opinion. Apparently, in the modern America there just AREN'T any 'tragic accidents' anymore. SOMEONE has to f------ sue.
Someone has GOT to pay -- spare me.
ping
Our legal system marches on, crushing common sense in its path!
I'm impressed they let you film that. The hospital told us no pictures during the actual moments of delivery for liability reasons.
No, it's not odd, and he wouldn't be "holding her down" so much as just helping to hold her still. She was probably lying on her side. A pregnant woman is rather like a walrus, and it's very hard for her to keep totally still when she's having contractions while getting a needle stuck in her back.
He didn't have to look.
That might be a result of erroneous reporting. Rather than "hold and steady" her, more likely they asked him to hold her hand and comfort her.
Yeah, but funny to me, in a black sort of way. I was in exactly that situation with my wife some years ago, and the OB-GYN doctors told me to be sure I could handle it, because if I fell and hit my head... well, they weren't that sort of doctor.
No permanent damage to coed, patient, or OR fixtures, but pretty irritating at the time.
It's a shame he died, but to sue the hospital is foolish.
And if I remember correctly, the procedure is explained fully to both before it even begins ...If he felt he couldnt handle it, he should have left!!
I was there for both of my kid's births, and they were C-Sections. And I saw everything. It was interesting, but I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, that's for sure.
So he's a sissy and dies from his own lack of manhood and somehow the hospital is responsible. One thing is for sure.... a couple of million dollars will probably make her forget all about her loss.
Don't worry, you won't be able to fit your head in there to look around.
Thanks. Wasn't sure if he was doing something trained personnel should be doing.
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