Jury awards $300,000 for death after surgery

YOUNGSTOWN -- The family of a McCollum Road woman who died nearly five years ago was awarded $300,000 Monday by a jury in a wrongful-death case in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
The verdict was rendered against Dr. Thomas Burkert of Poland and Forum Health Northside Medical Center.
The lawsuit was filed in February 2001 by Nancy Mansour of Salem, administratrix of the estate of Mary Mihlan, 75, who died Oct. 23, 1999. The trial began last week, with Visiting Judge Joyce J. George presiding.
According to court documents, Mihlan entered the hospital Oct. 21, 1999, for elective surgery to reverse a colostomy that had been performed on her some six months earlier.
She developed complications during the surgery, including her blood pressure dropping dangerously low, court documents say. Mihlan died two days later.
Forum Health and Burkert argued that they had met the proper standard of care in the case and should not have been held responsible.