Cramer & Anderson recently secured a seven-figure settlement in a medical malpractice case for the estate of a man who walked into the emergency room of a Connecticut hospital because of blood in his urine and died in the hospital three days later.
Partner Chris Sochacki, the lead counsel in the medical malpractice case, was joined on the Cramer & Anderson team by Partner Kent Mancini, Attorney Elizabeth “Lizzy” Gilbert, and Paralegal James D’Ascoli.
The seven-figure settlement resulted from mediation that followed an initial settlement demand – which was rejected – followed by an Offer of Compromise (OOC), a powerful procedural tool designed to encourage settlements and penalize parties that unreasonably refuse to resolve a case before it goes to trial. The OOC was also rejected but created pressure on the defendants heading into the mediation.
Praise from the Client for Attorney Sochacki
and the Cramer & Anderson Team
The client in the case expressed gratitude to Attorney Sochacki and the Cramer & Anderson medical malpractice team in a 5-star Google review, which said, in part:
From the very beginning, Attorney Sochacki was honest and compassionate. He never sugar-coated anything or gave false promises, and that honesty meant so much to me. What really made a difference was how patient and responsive he was; he took the time to answer every question, calm every worry, and make sure I understood each step of the process. I always felt seen, heard, and cared for.
What I appreciated even more was how hard Attorney Sochacki worked on my case. Even when things became challenging, he never gave up. He stayed committed, pushed through the difficult moments, and fought for the best possible outcome. His dedication and persistence made all the difference and ultimately led to a positive result that I am deeply grateful for.
“I really try hard to not be transactional with my clients, especially in cases like these,” Attorney Sochacki wrote in an email response to colleagues congratulating him on the outcome. “I try to ‘bear witness’ to their sorrows and difficulties. It was not hard with this client.”
What Happened in the Hospital
The man arrived at the emergency room with the primary complaint of blood in his urine. A decision was made the same afternoon to admit him.
By the next morning, it was clear to medical staff that he was suffering from some unidentified type of symptomatic hemolytic anemia (HA), which means, in simple terms, that his body was destroying its own red blood cells, according to the Attorney Sochacki.
The man was also experiencing signs and symptoms of increased respiratory distress. A seven-pronged treatment plan was developed – but the man’s respiratory distress continued to worsen and one physician’s recommendation for testing to determine if the man had a pulmonary emboli (PE) was not followed.
By the afternoon of the day after his arrival, the man was in full cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated only to repeatedly “code” and be resuscitated.
Eventually, he was clinically unstable and unresponsive and placed on life support as he could no longer breathe on his own. On the morning of the third day, providers said he had suffered an anoxic brain injury from which he would never recover nor awaken. The devastating decision was made by his wife to remove him from life support devices and machines.
“It’s a well-established principle of medicine that a doctor needs to rule out all potential life-threatening conditions and treat those possible conditions,” Attorney Sochacki said. “Better known as the principle of ‘worst first,’ a doctor needs to identify and treat the most life-threatening or severe conditions a patient has. Using protocols that prioritize airway, breathing, circulation (ABC), and other acute, urgent issues before less critical ones, a doctor needs to address issues such as respiratory compromise, figure out why it is happening, and take steps to address the potential causes. Yet the physician in this case did not. Determining the underlying cause of his worsening respiratory distress … was, for all intents and purposes, forgotten all while he suffocated while his wife watched. … Plain and simple, the doctor and hospital failed in their role as his treating physician and hospital.”
Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, nurse, hospital, or any other licensed professional or entity that provides medical services fails to comply with the “standard of care” expected in their field, resulting in injury, or in death as in this case.
What Are the Damages in a Medical Malpractice Case?
The recoverable damages in a wrongful death claim are well established and include both damages to the estate and to a surviving spouse or family members for Loss of Consortium, meaning the deprivation of the benefits of family life. Damages to the estate include:
- Reasonable and necessary medical and funeral expenses
- The value of the decedent’s lost earning capacity
- Noneconomic damages for compensation for the destruction of the decedent’s capacity to carry on and enjoy life’s activities in a way that he would have done had he lived
- Noneconomic compensation for the death itself
- Noneconomic pain and suffering
Why Trust Your Case to Cramer & Anderson?
Navigating a medical malpractice claim requires more than just legal knowledge; it requires a deep understanding of the medical complexities involved. At Cramer & Anderson, we bridge that gap by combining high-level litigation experience with a sophisticated perspective on healthcare.
Attorney Sochacki, for example, practiced as an insurance defense litigator for 17 years, giving him significant strategic insight concerning how medical providers and their defense counsel handle the litigation of claims. In addition, he was a licensed paramedic for over 10 years, providing him with a solid knowledge base and understanding of medical issues and terminology.
We also understand that a medical malpractice injury or death changes your life. Our firm is dedicated to providing the local, compassionate service our neighbors in Western Connecticut deserve, while maintaining the resources of a powerhouse litigation team. We provide:
- Free Consultations: We review your records at no cost to determine if you have a case.
- Aggressive Advocacy: We aren’t afraid to take on major hospital systems, healthcare networks and their attorneys.
Contact a Cramer & Anderson Medical Malpractice Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has suffered due to medical negligence, do not wait to seek legal advice. Evidence can disappear, and strict filing deadlines apply.
Contact Attorney Sochacki by phone at (860) 567-8718 or by email at csochacki@cramer-anderson.com to schedule your free, confidential case evaluation. You may also reach out using our contact form.
About Cramer & Anderson
Cramer & Anderson provides sophisticated legal services, close to home, with regional offices in New Milford, Litchfield, Danbury, and Ridgefield. For more information, see the firm’s website or call the flagship office in New Milford at (860) 355-2631.