The family of Ying Chen is suing Anaheim Hills obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Andrew Rutland for Los Angeles wrongful death. The 30-year-old woman died in July 2009 while undergoing an abortion procedure from Rutland. Chen had suffered a deadly reaction to local anesthesia and had a heart attack. San Gabriel physician Dr. Lars Erik Hanson, the owner of the clinic where the abortion took place, is also a defendant.
According to the Los Angeles medical malpractice complaint, the clinic was not properly equipped for an abortion. They also claim that the ob-gyn failed to do enough to revive Chen. Meantime, Rutland denies that he did anything wrong and claims that the anesthesia complication that Chen died from was "unpreventable."
Chen's death, at first ruled an accident, has been reclassified as a homicide. This, after California Medical Board investigators provided the Los Angeles County Coroner's department with more information.
In a June report, Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran, the chief medical examiner, said that "gross and wanton disregard for the well being" of Chen was involved. He also said that the abortion may have had a different outcome if it had been done in a hospital with a trained anesthesiologist. An anesthesiology consultant who assessed the case says that Rutland did not try to revive Chen until a paramedic asked the gynecologist if he knew how to perform CPR.
The Anaheim Hills doctor lost his medical license in 2002 over the death of a baby that he delivered. He admitted to birthing negligence. Rutland got his license back in 2007. Next February, there will be another hearing to determine whether Rutland will lose his license once more. Meantime, he cannot deliver babies or perform surgical abortions.
Los Angeles abortion malpractice often leads to serious health complications for the mother. As with any medical procedure, there is a certain standard of care that doctors must provide a patient. Failure to adhere to those standards can be grounds for an Anaheim Hills medical malpractice case.
Other examples of Los Angeles gynecologist medical malpractice:
• Failure to diagnose cancer
• Infertility malpractice
• Failure to act following an irregular pap smear test
• Failure to diagnose fibroids
• Birthing malpractice
• Episiotomy errors
• Failure to perform C-section in a timely manner
Family sues doctor in abortion death, OC Register, August 16, 2010
Doctor appointed as medical board supervisor had been disciplined in New York, California ,Reporting Health, February 2, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Medical Malpractice, Nolo
