Sullivan Papain Obtains $4 Million Settlement in Medical Malpractice Case

Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo, P.C. is proud to announce that Member Eleni Coffinas secured a $4 million settlement on behalf of a young plaintiff who now lives with permanent and severe respiratory issues due to medical negligence.

The plaintiff, who was born with a congenital heart rhythm disorder that required the implantation of an automated implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (AICD), sought medical treatment in September 2017 for fever, cough, chills, and chest pain. A CT scan suggested pneumonia, and the patient was discharged after three days while blood culture results remained pending.

Within a week, the blood cultures revealed a dangerous bacterial infection. However, these results were never communicated to the plaintiff. Over the next 14 months, the plaintiff continued to experience worsening symptoms, including fever, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Despite repeated visits to medical providers, the infection went undiagnosed and was mistakenly attributed to viral illnesses.

By November 2018, testing finally revealed that the infection had spread to the lead of the plaintiff’s AICD implant. Critically, the bacteria identified at that time matched the strain found in the original blood culture more than a year earlier, which had never been disclosed or acted upon. The delay in diagnosis caused severe and lasting harm, including bilateral pulmonary emboli, pulmonary edema, and pulmonary infarction.

Learn More About Firm Member Eleni Coffinas

Eleni Coffinas, a member of the firm, is a vigorous advocate for people injured due to medical malpractice. Her legal skills and experience have helped her clients achieve many multimillion-dollar settlements. Ms. Coffinas handles all types of medical malpractice cases, including birth injuries, cancer diagnosis delay, and surgical and cardiac cases.

To learn more about Firm Member Eleni Coffinas, click here.