As much as we would like to rely on our doctors and nurses to provide us with the care and treatment we need, there are occasions where mistakes are made. And unfortunately, not everyone who is impacted by these mistakes is able to walk away alive.
It was three years ago when Carrie DeJongh, 40, went to the Sioux Center Community Health Center to have a CT scan done. When she was given the contrast dye for the scan, she had an allergic reaction to it and went into anaphylactic shock, according to the Des Moines Register. DeJongh then lost consciousness. The doctor who had been administering the CT scan, Roy Slice, gave her Benadryl “but failed to immediately take her vital signs and did not administer epinephrine, which could have reversed her anaphylactic shock.”
Sadly, DeJongh passed away as a result of the severe allergic reaction she experienced. She left behind a husband and four children.
After losing his wife, DeJongh’s husband filed suit against the health center for the wrongful death of his wife and it wasn’t until this year that the family finally received the justice they deserved. The news outlet reported that the family was awarded a $29.5 million verdict. The jury determined that “Slice was negligent and that his negligence caused damage to the plaintiffs.” They awarded $1.5 million in damages for DeJongh’s pre-death pain and suffering, $5.5 million to each of her four children for the loss of parental consortium, and $6 million to her husband for loss of spousal consortium.
Although the family is thankful for the verdict, DeJongh’s husband said, “No amount of money is ever going to bring her back, but a verdict like this will make sure that medical providers in the future don’t let something like this happen again.”
The truth is, this is one of the main reasons why victims and/or their surviving families file lawsuits against health care providers who are guilty of medical negligence. While the compensation they receive can, in fact, help them as bills and other expenses accrue, most are looking to obtain justice for the pain and suffering they experienced.
And as you can see, these cases can take some time to settle. So, if you or someone you know was harmed or passed away as a result of a medical error and you are looking to take legal action against the physician or hospital responsible for their injury or death, contact the Iowa City, IA medical malpractice lawyers at Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, P.L.C. today. Our experienced and dedicated team of attorneys will answer any questions you may have and assist you with getting your lawsuit filed.
Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, P.L.C. can be reached at:
1921 51st Street NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Phone: (319) 393-1020
Fax: (319) 393-4000
Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC 
