| Department File Number : | M201783931 |
| Claim Number : | WC/105025-15 |
| Date Submitted : | 12/29/2017 |
| Insurer Information | |||||
| Insurer Name | Coverage Type | ||||
| Watson Clinic LLP | Primary | ||||
| Insurer FEIN | Professional License Number | ||||
| 59-070493 | |||||
| Insurer Contact Information | |||||
| Type | First Name | MI | Last Name | ||
| Individual | Diane | Szymanski | |||
| Street Address | |||||
| 1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd | |||||
| City | State | Zip | |||
| Lakeland | FL | 33805 | |||
| Phone | Ext | Fax | E-Mail Address | ||
| (863) 680 - 7620 | (863) 616 - 2430 | aszymanski@watsonclinic.com | |||
| Insured Information | |||||
| Type | First Name | MI | Last Name | ||
| Individual | Frances | M | Harris | ||
| Insurer Type | Street Address of Practice | ||||
| Self-Insurer | 1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd | ||||
| City | State | Zip Code | County | ||
| Lakeland | FL | 33805 | Polk | ||
| Policy Number | Per Claim Policy Limits | Aggregate Policy Limits | |||
| PH1605501-PL | $2,000,000 | $18,000,000 | |||
| Profession or Business | Other Profession or Business | ||||
| Medical Doctor | |||||
| License Number | Specialty Code & Classification | Certification Number | |||
| ME93928 | Anesthesiology | ||||
| Injured Person Information | |||||
| First Name | MI | Last Name | Date of Birth | ||
| Street Address | Gender | County where Injury Occurred | |||
| F | Polk | ||||
| City | State | Zip Code | |||
| Location where injury occured | Other location where injury occured | ||||
| Hospital Inpatient Facility | |||||
| Name of Institution | Code | ||||
| Lakeland Regional Medical Center | 100157 | ||||
| Location of Institutional Injury | Other Location of Institutional Injury | ||||
| Operating Suite | |||||
| Date of Occurrence | Date Reported to Insurer | ||||
| 12/4/2015 | 10/12/2016 | ||||
| Diagnostic Information | |||||
| Final Diagnosis For Which Treatment Was Sought Including Patient's Actual Condition | |||||
| Patient with atrial fibrillation, prior strokes, known atrial septal defect, and prior history of repeated falls and subdural hematoma presented to the hospital for placement of a Watchman device, as she was at high risk for oral anticoagulant therapy. | |||||
| Operation, Diagnostic, Or Treatment Procedure Rendered Causing The Injury | |||||
| Fellowship trained cardiovascular anesthesiologist attempted to place a central line in the right internal jugular but was unsuccessful, so an attempt was made on the left internal jugular. After encountered difficulties a subclavian central line was attempted. Ultimately central line access was obtained through the groin. During the Watchman device procedure the patient experienced mild hypotension and a drop in her hemoglobin. These hemodynamic changes seen in the procedure were thought by all 3 physicians involved to be typical in a pacemaker dependent patient which could not increase heart rate and cardiac output to counter the vasodilatory effects of inhalational anesthetics. Pressors were administered, and breath sounds were identified. At conclusion of the lengthy and complicated procedure the patient was slow to awaken. She was transported to the PACU where she began to experience significant hypotension. Dr. Harris was unable to detect breath sounds on the right side. A chest x-ray did not identify a pneumothorax on the right side but did identify a hemothorax on the left. An emergency chest tube was placed to drain the hemothorax. CT of the chest obtained showed a pneumothorax on the right side. Additional diagnostic scans were performed in an attempt to identify potential difficulties causing the patients delayed arousability and source of hemothorax. No source of bleeding or stroke were identified. Patient's neurological condition improved that day and continued to improve over the next several days without noted focal deficits. 9 days post device placement the patient developed a new onset of right-sided weakness. Neurologist assessment was this was likely related to a lacunar acute ischemic stroke. | |||||
| Diagnostic Code : | |||||
| Misdiagnosis Made, If Any, Of Patient's Actual Condition | |||||
| Not applicable. This claim did not involve a misdiagnosis. | |||||
| Principal Injury Giving Rise To The Claim | |||||
| Nine days post Watchman device placement, the patient developed a new onset of right-sided weakness. Neurologist assessment noted that this was likely related to lacunar acute ischemic stroke (not more than 3-5 days old) and was felt to be unrelated to any potential complication that may have occurred during the placement of the Watchman device. | |||||
| Severity Of Injury | |||||
| Temporary: Major - Burns, surgical material left, drug side effect, brain damage. Recovery delayed. | |||||
| Legal Information | |||||
| Date of Suit | Circuit Court Case Number | ||||
| 1/25/2017 | 2017CA-000034 | ||||
| County Suit Filed in | Date of Final Disposition | ||||
| Polk | 11/28/2017 | ||||
| Other Defendants Involved in this Claim | |||||
| Stage of Legal System at which Settlement was Reached or Award Made | |||||
| More than 90 days, after suit filed and prior to or during the course of mandatory settlement conference. | |||||
| Final Method of Claim Disposition | |||||
| Settled by parties | |||||
| Court Decision | Other | ||||
| No Court Proceedings. | |||||
| Arbitration | |||||
| Claim not subject to Arbitration. | |||||
| Date of Payment | |||||
| 11/28/2017 | |||||
| Financial Information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Was there a settlement Resulting in payment to the Plaintiff? | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Indemnity Paid by Insurer on behalf of Insured | $825,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Loss Adjust Expense Paid to Defense Counsel | $70,465 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| All Other Loss Adjustment Expense Paid | $25,064 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Injured Person's Total Non-Economic Loss | $0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Deductible | $0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Injured Person's Total Economic Loss | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Safety Management Steps Taken by Insured to Make Similar Occurrence Less Likely | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Circumstance of event reviewed with individual parties involved and although experts were supportive of the care provided, given the uncertainty of litigation and a sympathetic patient, a business decision was made to resolve the case short of a jury trial. This decision was strongly influenced by specific threats to include additional providers in this malpractice claim. Dr. Harris admitted no fault or liability as a result of this settlement of what was a doubtful and disputed claim. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Updates | |
| No updates found. |
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Does Dr. FRANCES M HARRIS, MD have any medical malpractice cases, lawsuits, or complaints?
Dr. FRANCES M HARRIS, MD has at least 1 medical malpractice case(s), lawsuit(s), or complaint(s).