$625,000 Verdict in Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

Gray Ritter Graham attorney Pat Hagerty represented Laura Hunter in a medical malpractice case for wrongful death.  Ms. Hunter took her husband to Hyland Behavioral Health after he had attempted suicide. Hyland is on the medical campus of St. Anthony’s Medical Center in south St. Louis County.   She took him in on a Thursday.  The very next day, the psychiatrist who examined her husband, Dr. Ahmad Ardekani, ordered him transferred to the main hospital at St. Anthony’s for evaluation of stomach and chest pains.

Her husband was on suicide precautions when he was at Hyland. However, when Dr. Ardekani transferred him to St. Anthony’s he lifted the suicide precautions.  As a result, when Ms. Hunter’s husband was admitted to the regular hospital he was put in a private room on the 7th floor.  In the early evening hours of that Saturday, he opened the window in his room and jumped to his death.

Ms. Hunter filed suit in St. Louis County and alleged that Dr. Ardekani was negligent in lifting the suicide precautions, and in failing to do anything to ensure her husband’s safety despite knowing that he had attempted suicide only a few days before.  A jury agreed that he was negligent. After a week-long trial the jury awarded $625,000 in damages to Ms. Hunter.

Posted in News on March 7, 2017