Click here to subscribe today or Login.
WILKES-BARRE — Jurors this week found Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and a now-deceased physician responsible for the suffering of a man after a serious cardiac issue went undiagnosed, finding that the patient and his wife are owed $3.36 million.
But one of the defendants settled before trial, so the actual payout is unclear.
Frederick and Sharon Macosky, of Edwardsville, filed a suit against Wilkes-Barre General and Dr. Mallikarjun Udoshi in March 2016. The suit was filed by the Macoskys’ lawyer, Carl J. Guagliardo of Kingston-based law firm Selingo Guagliardo.
Udoshi died in May 2016 after a battle with cancer. His estate is now listed as a defendant in the case.
According to their suit, Frederick Macosky, then 47, was referred to the hospital’s Heart and Vascular Institute by his family doctor in January 2014 due to a family history of coronary artery disease.
The complaint says Frederick underwent tests which Udoshi did not accurately read. The complaint argues that if Udoshi had accurately read the tests, Frederick would have been diagnosed with a serious cardiac issue.
The diagnosis for that issue did not come until nearly two years later, in December 2015, when Frederick was taken to the hospital again for leg swelling, a persistent cough and shortness of breath. This time, the same test showed “profound abnormalities,” leading him to be transferred to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia in January 2016.
The lawsuit suggests, due to the negligence of Udoshi and the hospital, Frederick was “totally disabled” and has incurred and will continue to incur “substantial medical costs for treatment which may include surgery and possible need for heart transplant.”
This week, a jury agreed the Macosky family deserves money from Udoshi’s estate and from the hospital.
The jurors ruled Udoshi was 80 percent responsible, with Wilkes-Barre General assigned the remaining 20 percent.
Jurors determined the two defendants owe the Macosky family a combined $3.36 million. However, it’s unclear how much money they will actually be receiving.
Court records show Udoshi’s estate settled with the family for an amount that was kept confidential.
It was unclear if the hospital might consider a settlement, as a spokeswoman declined to speak about the case.
“It is not our practice to comment on litigation,” said Renita Fennick, hospital spokesperson.
Guagliardo also could not be reached for comment.