Sleep Study Leads to Wrongful Death Lawsuit
The family of a 25-year-old Atlanta man that died in January of last year has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on his behalf after he collapsed and died during a sleep study. Brandon Harris was undergoing a sleep study at Emory Healthcare to test for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The mentally handicapped man was told to lie down on a bed while he was hooked up to several sensors.
His family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit arguing that the hospital acted negligently in administering this study and Harris’ mother also stated Harris should never have been cleared for this study in the first place. Harris reportedly suffered from congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle), diabetes, and hypertension. Harris lay on the bed for roughly four-and-a-half hours until he went into respiratory distress and died. Emory Healthcare conducted an examination after Harris’ death and stated that Harris died as a result of sudden cardiac death.
Every one of the conditions that Harris suffered from is known to contribute to or be worsened by sleep apnea. As a result, Harris should never have been cleared for this study because it could have led to very serious consequences. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened and a young man lost his life in an incident that could have easily been avoided. The health care center where Harris was undergoing the sleep study should be held liable for Harris’ death because they should have been well aware of Harris’ medical problems. If the center had looked into Harris’ medical background more closely, they could have easily prevented his death.
In what condition was the handicapped person really in?
Lawsuit