St. E's loses malpractice suit

YOUNGSTOWN —  A Mahoning County jury has awarded the estate of Victoria Rendano of Youngstown a $500,000 judgment in a medical malpractice lawsuit against St. Elizabeth Health Center.

After a full day of deliberations after six days of testimony, a jury found Tuesday that the hospital was liable for the death of Rendano, 79, who died in St. Elizabeth’s in 2001.

“This verdict sends a clear message that our community expects accountability and values life regardless of age,” said Atty. Brian P. Kopp of   Betras, Maruca, & Kopp, Harshman & Bernard. “It’s notable because hospitals often argue in cases such as these that advanced age and other existing health conditions in an elderly patient are causes of death. We were able to pin it down and show that their own negligence was the specific cause.”

During the trial, the hospital denied any liability and defended the case on grounds that treatment was timely and reasonable, and that age and chronic health conditions were the cause of death.

Kopp said Rendano arrived at the hospital July 6, 2001, complaining of abdominal pain. She died 24 hours after surgery on July 8.

He argued that untimely treatment of a bowel obstruction by St. Elizabeth medical personnel brought on a condition known as sepsis, which was the proximate cause of Mrs.  Rendano’s death.

Mrs. Rendano left her husband, Ralph, a son and four grandchildren. The $500,000 award was entirely for the family’s loss of companionship and consortium, Kopp said.