Susan Wallace v. Irv Klein, M.D.
Published: Sep. 27, 1997 | Result Date: Aug. 14, 1997 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |Case number: YC020793 – $0
Judge
Court
L.A. Superior Torrance
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Federico C. Sayre
(Adamson Ahdoot LLP)
Defendant
Experts
Plaintiff
Robert W. Johnson CPA
(technical)
William D. Mazzei
(medical)
Defendant
Robert G. Watkins
(medical)
Ronald H. Wender
(medical)
Facts
On April 27, 1994, the decedent, a 55-year-old football coach at Harbor Junior College, underwent an anterior - posterior spinal fusion at L3-4 by Robert G. Watkins, M.D. at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood. During closure of a six-and-a-half hour surgical procedure, while the patient was in the prone position of a four poster frame, the anesthesiologist noted a secondary heart block and a drop in blood pressure. The patient was experiencing a cardiac arrest due to an air embolus and a code blue was called. Despite 58 minutes of continous resuscitative effort, the patient was pronounced dead by the defendant anesthesiologist Irv Klein, M.D. It was not until an autopsy was performced by the L.A. County Coroner that the cause of death was attributable to an air embolus. Etiology of the air embolus is still unknown. Dr. Robert G. Watkins, M.D., his medical group, The Kerlan-Jobe Medical Group and Centinela Hospital Medical Center were all dismissed prior to trial for a waiver of costs. The action proceeded solely against defendant Irv Klein, M.D. as he was in charge of the code blue and resuscitative effort, which failed. The plaintiff, the decedent's wife, brought this action against the defendant based on a negligence theory of recovery.
Settlement Discussions
The plaintiff made a C.C.P. º998 settlement demand for $475,000. The defendant made no settlement offer.
Specials in Evidence
$600,000
Other Information
All medical bills were paid for by the plaintiff's workers compensation carrier who settled with the plaintiff one month prior to the filling of this lawsuit.
Deliberation
1+ hours
Poll
11-1
Length
6 days
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