Posted: December 24, 2013

A St. Louis jury awarded a family more than $10.8M in damages in a recent medical negligence case that resulted in the death of a young mother of three, according to a news report by St. Louis Today. Shannon Dodson, 34, died after a routine catheterization procedure at The Mercy Heart and Vascular Hospital in 2011.
Dodson went to a doctor for treatment of possible bronchitis but testing showed there may have been problems with her heart. The case hinged on the timeframe in which Dodson’s coronary artery collapsed and when she was finally taken for surgery 30 to 50 minutes later.
During the procedure the tip of the catheter dissected a major coronary artery causing it to collapse and prevent blood from flowing properly to her heart. The case was brought against the doctor who performed the procedure and the hospital. Learn more about medical malpractice lawsuits