$4.2 Million Structured Settlement Reached for Wrongful Death Caused by Excessive Administration of Anesthesia Drug

Antonio Marrero, 32, was seen at the Walanae Coast Comprehensive Center, which is a federally qualified health center. He went to the facility complaining of a sore throat.

Marrero was diagnosed with having a peritonsillar abscess, which required evaluation by an otolaryngologist. A health center physician decided to evaluate Marrero under sedation and subsequently administered the drug Etomidate. Etomidate is a short-acting intravenous drug used in general anesthesia and for sedation of patients for short procedures.

In this case when Etomidate was given, Marrero lost consciousness and died. The cause of death was determined to be oxygen deprivation resulting in anoxia.

Marrero was a mechanic and earned about $44,000 per year. He is survived by his wife and three minor children.

Marrero’s wife, individually and on behalf of his estate and children, filed a lawsuit against the United States under the Federal Tort Claim Act alleging that the government’s physician negligently administered an excessive dose of the sedative without an anesthesiologist present. The lawsuit also charged that sedating Marrero was negligent because he was overweight and had a restricted airway.

Before trial, the parties settled the case for $4.2 million in a structured settlement. The attorney skillfully representing the Marrero family was L. Richard Fried Jr.

Marrero v. United States, No. 1:15-cv-00034-JMS-KJM (D-Hawaii).

Kreisman Law Offices has been successfully handling wrongful death lawsuits, hospital negligence cases, medical malpractice lawsuits, birth trauma injury cases and nursing home abuse cases for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed 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 Batavia, Beecher, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Joliet, Waukegan, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Clarendon Hills, Calumet City, South Holland, Blue Island, River Forest, Oak Lawn, Worth, Alsip, Melrose Park, Maywood, Cicero, Chicago (Wicker Park, Bucktown, West Town, Greek Town, South Shore, East Side, Lake Calumet), Arlington Heights and Orland Park, Ill.