St. Joseph's Hospital in Orange has been fined $50,000 for a 2009 incident that caused serious personal injuries and the eventual death of a patient whose oxygen tank ran empty and wasn't refilled by employees. According to a news report in the Orange County Local News Network, the incident occurred March 5, 2009, when a patient who was experiencing breathing problems was placed on a portable oxygen tank and moved to the hospital's ultrasound department for a scan.

Standard Procedures Violated

California Department of Public Health investigators say that the patient was left alone there and lay in the room for nearly an hour and a half and died when the oxygen supply ran out. The state's report says that the hospital failed to ensure policies and procedures for transporting and properly assessing the patient's condition. Hospital officials have issued a statement saying that they have submitted a "plan of correction" to state officials, which outlines guidelines for staff when transporting patients who are dependent on oxygen.

However, the state's report indicates that the hospital did not even follow the standard procedures mandated for all hospitals. At the time of the incident, officials say that the patient was removed from the oxygen supply located in the wall, placed on portable oxygen and transferred without a signed checklist showing that the patient was stable for transfer. At the time the patient was transferred, the oxygen tank had sufficient air to last only about 45 minutes.

Wrongful Death Claim

My heart goes out to everybody who knew and loved the deceased victim. This appears to have been a case of negligence on the part of hospital's staff. There are many questions that arise here. Was the hospital understaffed at the time of this incident? Were the nurses and technicians involved in this incident properly trained and informed about standard procedures and protocols?

In this case, the state has determined that the hospital was at fault for allowing the patient's oxygen supply to run out. The deceased patient's family could very well file a wrongful death claim against the hospital. Such claims usually seek compensation to cover medical/funeral expenses, lost future earnings and loss of love and companionship.

Wrongful death lawsuits are filed by family members of the deceased individual. Such lawsuits also serve as a way to hold the wrongdoer or the negligent party accountable. An experienced Orange County personal injury attorney will be able to advise victims and their families about their legal rights and options in such cases.

Have you had an experience in a hospital where staff members' negligence caused serious injuries to you?

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