What constitutes a wrongful death case?
Question Details: My mom passed away 3 months ago at a psyche floor from a fatal cardiac arrythmia. She had no cardiac history. She was transferred from a local hospital where she was being treated for critically low potassium (multiple IV bags) from vomiting. While on the psyche floor, she began vomiting for 2 days. My sister and I reminded the nursing staff (as we couldn't visit her) that she was just treated for low potassium. I was told they were trying to get in touch with her doctor. I believe 24 hours went by. No labs were done to check her potassium and a tab of potassium was given on the day she died.
I suggest that you consult a medical malpractice attorney in your area as you may have a legitimate claim. I do not know the specific laws in Virginia, so I cannot tell you what you might recover or the process of doing it.
In general, medical malpractice is defined as doing something a reasonable health care practitioner would not do, or failing to do something that a reasonable health care practitioner would do. It sounds like the psych staff totally failed to address your mother's medical needs. It also sounds like the local hospital may have transferred her inappropriately. Low potassium is well known to cause fatal arrythmias.
I am sorry for your loss and wish you the best.
