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Texas Family Sues Doctor For Failing To Inform Them Of Heart Defect
Posted on Jan 30, 2011
A Texas family is filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against both a doctor and a hospital after their son died of a heart defect that should have been officially diagnosed and treated four years before.
According to court records, seven-year-old Connor Burton was examined at Marlette Community Hospital by doctors before getting a tonsillectomy. During the pre-surgery tests, an EKG revealed that the young boy suffered from a heart defect that can be fatal if not properly treated. While medical records show that the doctor in charge of Connor’s care, Dr. Macha, was told of the heart defect, he did not inform the family, call for further tests, or recommend treatment such as medication or surgery.
In 2009, Connor’s father tried to wake his son up for school, but he was unresponsive. Soon after, he was pronounced dead at the same hospital where he had his surgery in 2004. An autopsy later revealed that his heart defect was the cause of his tragic and early death. Soon after, their parents filed a medical malpractice lawsuit and wrongful death lawsuit against both the hospital and the doctor.
Now, his parents and his 14-year-old sister all say that the loss of their family member has been very difficult to cope with and that their lives have been changed forever.
The hospital declined to comment on the medical malpractice lawsuit.
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