$6.3 Million Jury Verdict in the Death of a Patient Who Died After a Physician Chose Not To Refer the Patient to a Cardiologist

Dwayne Kantorowski underwent surgery to treat a brain tumor. He was just 45 years old, but he later experienced stroke-like symptoms. He promptly went to a hospital emergency room where he underwent an EKG. Although the test showed abnormalities, the attending emergency physician did not order additional blood tests or cardiac enzyme tests and did not refer him for a cardiology consultation. That failure to refer was the claimed cause of his resulting death

Kantorowski was hospitalized for several days and then discharged. Just three days later however, he suffered a heart attack that left him in a vegetative state for 3 weeks before he died. He was survived by his parents.

His family filed suit against the emergency room physician and the primary care physician who treated Kantorowski during his hospitalization. It was alleged that the doctors chose not to arrange for a cardiology consultation in light of the abnormal EKG, which indicated he had suffered a heart attack. The lawsuit did claim lost income.

His family settled confidentially with the emergency room physician. The jury then awarded $6.3 million in favor of his family, finding that the primary care physician was 53% at fault. The court denied posttrial motions brought by the defendant. The case is on appeal.

The Dwayne Kantorowski family was represented by attorney Joseph P. Zeppieri.

Kantorowski v. Roe, Confidential Docket, (Connecticut Superior Ct., Fairfield County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling medical negligence lawsuits, hospital negligence cases, emergency room physician negligence cases, and birth trauma litigation for individuals and families who have been injured or killed by the negligence of a medical provider for more than 40 years, in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas including, Arlington Heights, Barrington, Calumet City, Darien, Elmhurst, Franklin Park, Gurnee, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Joliet, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Lockport, Morton Grove and Niles, Ill.

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