The lawsuit alleged a hospital patient died of severe withdrawal symptoms after the defendant suddenly stopped administering her usual medications. Photo: Iryna Imago/Shutterstock.com.
A plaintiff reluctant to describe his allegations against a Broward hospital and a Lauderdale Lakes behavioral treatment facility as medical negligence tripped on an appellate hurdle Wednesday, when the Fourth District Court of Appeal threw out his lawsuit because it didn’t comply with the strict requirements of Florida’s medical malpractice statute.
The opinion demonstrates the pitfalls of medical malpractice claims, which come into play when alleged wrongdoing involves the professional skill or judgment of medical experts. Unlike ordinary negligence, these claims come with stricter criteria to meet under Florida Statute Chapter 766 (2017).
