Wrongful Death – Failure to Consult Treating Cardiologist: Nicolai v. Pfeiffer, Henry Ford Allegiance General Surgery, et al.

Sommers Schwartz attorney Matthew Curtis filed a medical malpractice action on behalf of the estate of an active, healthy 69-year-old man who died from a stroke shortly after undergoing a preventative colonoscopy at Henry Ford Allegiance Medical Center. According to the lawsuit, in compliance with patient procedure instructions issued by Defendant Henry Ford Allegiance Health, the decedent’s wife phoned the office to report that her husband took the blood thinner Xarelto for atrial fibrillation. An office assistant advised her that the decedent should discontinue use of the drug four to five days prior to the colonoscopy. The decedent followed this advice and suffered a massive stroke within one day following the procedure. It was later discovered that neither the Defendant general surgeon nor the other defendants contacted the decedent’s cardiologist to sign off on the colonoscopy, and that had he been consulted, he would not have stopped the Xarelto more than two days before the procedure. The lawsuit alleges, among other claims,  that the Defendants’ failure to contact the cardiologist resulted in the decedent’s wrongful death, and seeks compensation for pain and suffering, loss of companionship, emotional distress. This action is now pending in Jackson County, Michigan State Court.

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