The family of Kristy Stingley filed a lawsuit against Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, an ER doctor, and a neurologist for medical malpractice. The plaintiffs allege that the hospital committed gross negligence after misdiagnosing Kristy Stingley’s brain aneurysm. As a result of the misdiagnosis and subsequent discharge, Kristy passed away leaving a husband and two young children.
On December 14, 2013, Kristy experienced a seizure and was incoherent while at home. She was rushed to the emergency room at Arlington Memorial Hospital. However, she was misdiagnosed with a sinus infection and a migraine and was sent back home. Later that day, Kristy suffered a second seizure. Again, she was rushed by ambulance to a different hospital in Fort Worth. While on that ride, she suffered a third seizure. Thirty minutes later, Kristy was pronounced brain dead. The next day she was taken off life support.
The initial CT scan taken at Arlington Memorial Hospital revealed that Kristy had blood on her brain and “clearly-defined dark blotches.” Nevertheless, she was discharged with a sinus infection diagnosis by ER doctors and nurses. Additionally, her widower, Jeff Stingley, remembers telling medical staff about his wife’s first seizure and that there was no possibility she was experiencing a sinus infection. The Stingley family’s attorney states that the blood on her brain depicted in the CT scan images was impossible to miss. As such, he states that the Hospital and its staff were consciously indifferent in Kristy’s emergency care by misdiagnosing her brain aneurism.
Under current Texas law, post-tort reform, Texans must prove gross negligence against an emergency medical provider in order to recover damages. Ordinary negligence will not suffice or support any verdict in an emergency room scenario based on the changes that overhauled the Texas tort system. As such, Kristy Stingly’s family will have to prove gross negligence in order to recover for the death of their wife and mother.
A brain aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain. It can rupture or leak and cause bleeding. A ruptured aneurysm can quickly become life-threatening. If a person starts experiencing symptoms such as a seizure, or a sudden, extremely severe headache, he or she needs to seek immediate medical attention. There are various treatments for a ruptured brain aneurysm if properly diagnosed. Since it is important to receive immediate medical attention, a misdiagnosis, or improper treatment can have devastating effects and prove fatal, as it did for Kristy Stingley.
The effects of medical malpractice can be severe. In cases such as brain aneurysms, individuals can suffer strokes or death if not properly diagnosed and treated. If you or someone you know is a victim of a medical malpractice, it is important to understand your right to recover. Contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211 for a confidential consultation.