Parents' of 16 Year Old Volleyball Player file Wrongful Death Lawsuit

In Edmond, Oklahoma, the parents' of a 16 year old volleyball player recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the doctors that were treating their daughter.  The parents claim that the doctors are responsible for the death of Heather Harkness, who died during complications that arose during her abdominal surgery.  Harkness was a student at Santa Fe High School in Oklahoma and she died on September 9, 2008. 

According to reports, Harkness' parents filed a lawsuit against Walter M. Bell, M.D., Edwin C. Nalagan, M.D. and Integris Baptist Medical Center.  The lawsuit was filed in the Oklahoma District Court and asserts the physicians failed to, "recognize, resuscitate and respond to Heather Harkness' arrest resulting in the death of Heather Harkness."

At this time, Heather's parents are asking that they receive compensation for the deprivation of her services, consortium, companionship, love and affection.  They are also hoping to recover damages for their daughter's funeral and medical expenses.   It is estimated that their wrongful death claim is worth more than $10,000. 

In the documents filed with the Oklahoma District Court, Heather's parents allege that Integris hospital was negligent in hiring Dr. Bell because he had a previous history of patient injuries and deaths during laparoscopic surgeries.   The hospital refused to issue a statement about the lawsuit, but said that it wishes to extend its sympathies to the Harkness' family.
 
An autopsy was performed on Heather and revealed that her death resulted from the surgeon cutting her iliac artery during the laparoscopy.  After realizing his error, the surgeon opened Harkness' abdomen and massaged her heart for nearly an hour.  However, after the surgery, Heather remained unresponsive and was pronounced dead at 12:54 P.M. on September 9th. 

The medical examiner presiding over the autopsy said, "It is felt the cause of death is regarded to (be an) incised wound of left common carotid artery caused by the mechanism of exsanguination. The manner of death is ruled as an accident."

The medical term, exsanguination, refers to excessive blood loss due to internal hemorrhage which can lead to death if it is not controlled immediately through surgery.

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