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.
I can see it already... husbands will not be allowed in birthing rooms anymore due to "liability" issues. I wish all these lawyers would go to @#$#.
suing cause HE fainted? wtf????
The hospital isn't responsible for him not being able to stand the sight of blood. It's a personal condition; it just happens to some folks. I have no problem with blood but have seen people go pale and woozy just seeing a drop of it. They're responsible for their own comportment.
Bad judgement on his part. I was only there for the last five minutes of each of mine and never saw anything. Know your limitations.
Owl_Eagle(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
Tragic.
"the lawsuit said, the hospital "owed him a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent foreseeable injuries resulting from his participation.""
Yeah, I'm sure everyone saw it coming!
Check her immigration status first.
No, they'll just make them sign waivers.
suing cause HE fainted? wtf????
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Oh, just another fine liberal who is so stupid, he find his own "valve".....
Next time I go into the delivery room, I'm wearing a football helmet.
Maybe they should hand out football helmets to the Dad's?
Why blame the lawyers? Blame the family of the victim who seek to blame the hospital for an unforeseeable accident.
I guess Savage was right the other day--men shouldn't be in the delivery room. Especially weak kneed men with an aversion to needles--hint, hint.
Girlie-man.
When Mrs Pondman got her epi they asked me if I would faint....said it has happened before....
I thought the epidural was pretty cool, the doctor "missed" the first time and had to reinsert.
You gals have it so easy in the delivery room. : )
Hee hee. : )
The last name sounds Italian, and they were married.
Unbelievable
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