CLEARWATER — A widow is suing medical facilities, alleging professional negligence and vicarious liability.
Gracie L. Salzmann, as personal representative of the estate of Robert A. Salzmann, filed a complaint Oct. 4, in Pinellas County Circuit Court against Baycare Health Systems Inc. & Morton Plant Hospital Association Inc., alleging failure to provide medical and nursing care to her husband within the prevailing professional standards of care.
According to the complaint, on May 11, 2017, Robert A. Salzmann was presented to defendants for epigastric pain and determined to be in need of emergent exploratory lapantomy.
After a successful surgery with vital signs taken every 12 hours, Salzmann allegedly was administered with intravenous (IV) dilaudid and Tylenol and/or Norco medication without measurement of respiration and no orders from the physician.
The suit says this resulted in Salzmann being found without pulse and unconscious in his bed. He died May 12, 2017.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to assess Robert Salzmann properly, by failing to create, develop, disseminate, implement, enforce, and/or follow policies and procedures addressing the standards of nursing practice concerning assessments and monitoring of patients receiving intravenous opioid pain medication.
Gracie Salzmann seeks trial by jury, damages of more than $15,000, plus prejudgment interest on medical expenses actually paid by the plaintiff, court costs and all other proper relief. She is represented by attorney Christa M. Carpenter of The Patient’s Law Firm PA in Palm Harbor.
Pinellas County Circuit Court case number 18C6551