Sommers Schwartz senior shareholder Matthew Curtis recently obtained a confidential $850,000 settlement for the family of a man who died after physicians and nurses failed to treat a pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

The decedent, a 53-year-old man, presented to the defendant urgent care center complaining of shortness of breath for two to three days, nasal congestion, and fatigue. At that time, the urgent care staff diagnosed “shortness of breath and acute recurrent maxillary sinusitis,” prescribed medication and an inhaler, and sent the decedent home. 

Two days later, the decedent experienced worsening shortness of breath and collapsed. He was transported by ambulance to an emergency room in full cardiac arrest and passed away soon after arrival. An autopsy concluded the cause of death was “acute pulmonary thromboembolism due to deep venous thrombosis of left lower extremity.” 

The decedent’s estate alleged that multiple acts of negligence committed by the urgent care physicians and staff directly led to the decedent’s wrongful death. Although he showed clear signs and symptoms of PE and DVT, the defendant doctors and staff failed to properly evaluate him, did not take an appropriate or detailed medical history, neither ruled out nor considered the probability he was experiencing PE and DVT, did not perform an EKG or other tests, misdiagnosed his condition, and sent him home instead of transferring him to a hospital for an immediate workup.