Nevada medical malpractice lawyers representing the family who claims a Las Vegas doctor’s negligence led to the wrongful death of a pregnant woman win new trial.
Nevada Supreme Court orders new trial to Nevada medical malpractice attorneys representing the family of a deceased victim claiming medical negligence.
Las Vegas, NV–The Nevada Supreme Court ordered a new trial after reviewing arguments by medical malpractice attorneys representing the family of Johnna Shelksohn, a 29 year old pregnant woman who died after delivering her baby in September 2001. As reported by the Las Vegas Sun on September 10, 2009, Shelksohn went into labor, reported to the hospital, and requested pain medication. According to court records Dr. Yun Szu Yeh, an anesthesiologist, administered pain medication through an epidural. The pregnant woman suffered a seizure, went into a coma, was forced to deliver her baby by C-section, and died seven days later.
The original medical malpractice trial ended with District Judge Douglas W. Herndon precluding the testimony of a nurse at the hospital where Shelksohn was treated and died. The high court determined this was an improper preclusion of vital testimony to the grieving family’s claim. The Nevada Supreme Court further ruled the District Court judge erred in granting motions by Dr. Yeh’s medical defense attorneys. Judge Herndon threw out the plaintiff’s attorneys claims of medical negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Apparently Dr. Yeh did not follow the national standards of care which require a doctor wait two to three minutes after placing an epidural to inject a test dose of pain medication. The nurses providing care at the bedside claimed Dr. Yeh injected the pain medication without waiting and Shelksohn began seizing within 10 seconds. The medical malpractice claim was brought by the husband of Shelksohn, Christopher O. Shelksohn and their daughter who was born by C-section and the mother of the deceased victim, Linda Nielson.
Legal news reporter Heather L. Ryan for Nevada medical malpractice attorneys.
