Florida Verdicts

Type:

Verdict-Defendant

State:

Florida

Venue:

Palm Beach County

Court:

Palm Beach County Circuit Court, 15th

Injury Type(s):

Case Type:

Wrongful Death; Medical Malpractice – Brain Injuries, Failure to Diagnose, Negligent Treatment, Lost Chance of Recovery

Case Name:

Keith Bradford, personal representative of the Estate of Heather Bradford, deceased, v. Hadi Siddiqui, Renee Young, Tara Stock and Wellington Regional Medical Center,
No. 50-2011-CA-11047

Date:

March 22, 2014

Plaintiff(s):

Keith Bradford (Male), 

Estate of Heather Bradford (Female, 30 Years)

Plaintiff Attorney(s):

Kevin C. Smith;
Lytal, Reiter, Clark, Fountain & Williams LLP;
West Palm Beach,
FL,
for
Keith Bradford, Estate of Heather Bradford

Plaintiff Expert(s):

Gary Lustgarden;
M.D.;
Neurology;
Jupiter,
FL called by
Kevin C. Smith ■ Finely Brown;
M.D.;
Family Medicine;
Chicago,
IL called by
Kevin C. Smith

Defendant(s):

Tara Stock, 

Renee Young, 

Hadi Siddiqui, 

Wellington Regional Medical Center

Defense Attorney(s):

Jay Cohen;
Law offices of Jay Cohen, P.A.;
Fort Lauderdale,
FL,
for
Wellington Regional Medical Center ■ John B. Moores;
Adams, Coogler, Watson , Merkel, Barry & Kellner, P.A.;
West Palm Beach,
FL,
for
Tara Stock ■ Keith J. Puya;
Law Offices of Keith J. Puya, P.A.;
Palm Beach,
FL,
for
Renee Young, Hadi Siddiqui

Defendant Expert(s):

John Sampson;
Neurosurgery;
Durham,
NC called by
Keith J. Puya ■ Owen Samuels;
Neurology;
Atlanta,
GA called by
Keith J. Puya ■ Kevin Inwood;
Internal Medicine;
Jupiter,
FL called by
Keith J. Puya ■ Arthur Herold;
Family Medicine;
Tampa,
FL called by
John B. Moores ■ Anthony Mancuso;
Neuroradiology;
Gainesville,
FL called by
John B. Moores

At midnight on July 15, 2010, Heather Bradford, 30, a librarian, began having severe headaches, nausea and vomiting at her Palm Beach County home. Her husband called 911 after Bradford had a seizure, and she was taken by ambulance to Wellington Regional Medical Center in Wellington. Bradford was treated by Hadi Siddiqui and Renee Young, residents of the hospital’s family physician teaching program. At 2 a.m. on July 16, a CT scan was taken by a hospital radiologist. At 3:30 a.m. Young called family medicine physician Tara Stock at her home for consultation. Stock advised Young that the steps Young had taken to find out what was wrong with Bradford were correct. At 5:30 a.m., Bradford, who was barely conscious, was admitted into the ICU for further testing. At 7:15 a.m., she was intubated. At 6 p.m., she was taken to surgery in an attempt to remove a buildup of spinal fluid that was crushing her brain, but at that point she was declared brain-dead. The family opted to remove her from life support two days later. Keith Bradford, representing the estate of his wife, sued Siddiqui, Young and Stock for medical malpractice. The estate also sued Wellington Regional Medical Center, claiming the hospital was vicariously liable for the physicians’ negligence. The hospital settled with the estate prior to trial under terms that were not disclosed. The estate’s counsel claimed the three doctors failed to properly diagnose and treat Bradford, who had a retroperitoneal shunt implanted in her brain when she was a child because she suffered from swelling of the brain due to an excess buildup of cerebrospinal fluid. The estate’s expert in family medicine testified that the three doctors should have recognized that the seizures, vomiting and headaches Bradford was experiencing (she had additional seizures at the hospital) meant the life-saving shunt that drained fluid from her brain had failed and she needed surgery immediately. He also testified that Young should have known immediately to call a neurosurgeon when a patient presents with a brain shunt and symptoms Bradford was experiencing. The estate’s expert neurosurgeon testified that Bradford’s life would have been saved had she been rushed into surgery where the fluid could be drained. Defense counsel for the physicians denied that they were negligent in their care and treatment of Bradford. Defense counsel for Young and Siddiqui claimed the doctors were relying on a flawed analysis of a CT scan by a hospital radiologist. He claimed the CT scan’s analysis indicated that Bradford’s shunt was not obstructed or had failed. Young and Siddiqui’s internal medicine expert testified that based on the CT scan, the physicians did everything that was appropriate, including admitting Bradford into the hospital’s ICU for further testing to determine the cause of the seizures. He also testified that the radiologist misread Bradford’s CT scan and failed to detect signs that fluid was saturating her brain. Defense counsel for Young and Siddiqui claimed Young was being advised by other experienced doctors at the hospital, who never told her to consult with a neurosurgeon. Defense counsel for Stock claimed Stock was a faculty member of the teaching program and her role in this case was to review the orders for the patient at the request of Young. He claimed she only provided advice to Young via a telephone call Young made to her for consultation. He claimed Stock correctly advised Young that steps Young had taken to find out what was wrong with Bradford were appropriate. Stock’s internal medicine expert testified that Stock met the prevailing professional standard of care in her review of the residents’ orders and plan for the patient, which also included the work-up performed by the emergency room physician. Stock’s neuroradiology expert testified the radiologist’s interpretation of the CT scan was "egregiously" negligent and misdirected the other physicians who were entitled to rely upon it. He testified that the flawed CT report was reassuring to the physicians at the hospital, who believed that Bradford could be admitted and have further testing to determine the cause of the seizures. He also testified that the correct interpretation of the CT scan would have included a diagnosis of hydrocephalous and evolving brain herniation in Bradford.

Bradford’s husband and son sought to recover damages for their pain and suffering and loss of services a result of her death. Bradford’s son also sought to recover damages for loss of parental guidance. The estate’s counsel suggested the jury award $10 million. Defense counsel argued that the doctors were not liable for any damages.

The jury found that there was no negligence on the part of Siddiqui, Young and Stock that was a cause of Bradford’s death.

Judge:

Lucy Cherno Brown

Trial Length:

12
 days

Trial Deliberations:

4
 hours

This report is based on information that was provided by defense counsel for Siddiqui, Young and Stock. Plaintiff’s counsel and defense counsel for Wellington Regional Medical Center did not respond to the reporter’s phone calls.