TRIAL Case on Hospital Infections and Misuse of Nurses TO BEGIN

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Aug. 15, 2014 - PRLog -- Santa Monica, CA - The long awaited trial of Waksberg v. St John’s Hospital  ) begins this Monday August 18^th at 9AM at Santa Monica Superior Court. Government officials, Hospital administrators nationwide, patient advocates and Insurance Companies have been monitoring this case since it was filed over 4 years ago. The original law suit filed (see attachment), against St. John’s for Negligence, Elder Abuse and Medical Malpractice will establish a precedent for hospitals and victims of their bad behavior for years to come.

Morry Waksberg, (Plaintiff), an M.D himself, is a prominent Westside political activist who ran for Congress and last November for State Assembly as an Independent. He has been honored to serve as Republican Eagle advisor to George H.W. Bush White House and the Republican party, LA County, and the city of Los Angeles and is known as a fighter to correct problems in the American medical system.  He is the Health Care advisor for Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen, and to former Assemblyman Paul Koretz currently LA City Councilman. Waksberg hosted a reception for Minority leader Richard Gephardt  and Patrick Kennedy …He also hosted receptions for U.S. Senator Bill Frist M.D. for a possible run for President. Ironically Waksberg  brought Senator First in to help St.Johns Hospital with FEMA related earthquake problems in the 1990s.

Law Suit Brief: As compiled from filed complaint 4/7/2010-- What’s At Stake

Ida Waksberg, Morry Waksberg’s beloved mother and a holocaust survivor was admitted to St. Johns hospital in January 2009. It was a routine visit. She was in excellent health, could care for herself and could walk with a walker. Although because of her age she should have been guarded for falls. She did fall which resulted in minor injury and an extended hospital stay. In the emergency room an IV was placed in her arm and remained there for 6 whole days in violation of St. John’s own rules. This resulted in the dreaded hospital life threatening staff infection spreading to her bloodstream and eventual spine infection. She had to be transported to UCLA Medical and improved slightly. Her internist declared in the St. Johns Discharge summary that the thrombophletis at the IV site on her arm caused the spine infection. Ida Waksberg suffered for months and became delirious and semi comatose. Pure agony for months on end. A litany of mistakes with medications and procedures are outlined in the complaint.

Overwhelming evidence of negligence and malpractice was presented to St. Johns and yet instead of doing the right thing the hospital decided to defend this case utilizing a ‘deny and defend’ strategy instead of offering an apology as well as relief for the great physical, emotional and financial harm the Waksbergs have suffered. St. Johns has offered numerous times to settle this case and then withdrew it each time.  The latest offer going into the trial is an unacceptable and baffling $150,000. Expenses already compiled have reached almost $900,000 and over $400,000 more will be billed. A current MICRA state law cap of only $250,000 for immense emotional distress will be applied for. If the Waksbergs prevail in trial, St. Johns will be liable for well over $1.5 million. This November, CA Proposition 46 will be on the ballot, which if passed, will require drug testing for Doctors in hospitals and would increase the MICRA state law cap for emotional distress from $250,000 to $1.5 million.

One Hundred Thousand patients die of hospital infections each year in the United States mainly for showing up at the hospital for routine tests and simple medical problems. Ida Waksberg surprisingly survived mainly due to the vigilance of her son who happens to be a physician.

A few years ago St. John’s nurses rebelled and demonstrated against “unsafe conditions” that put patients in danger. (See Santa Monica Mirror article attached).  It is precisely this environment of poor management and numbers of nurse-patient ratios that this crusading law suit and it’s plaintiffs are trying to present to the jury in the Peoples Superior Court of Los Angeles.

Ida & Morry Waksberg are hoping for the jury to rule in their favor this week and with that will speed the formal announcement of the Ida Waksberg Foundation for the benefit of victims and research for methods and strategy to combat and prevent 100,000 deaths per year from hospital staff infections and the multimillion’s of dollars it costs our economy and insurance companies. “ I’ve done everything I can to help my mom in her ordeal with this infection which should of never happened…and with the Foundation we will be able to help prevent this epidemic from happening to many other moms.”, said Morry Waksberg. Philanthropists including billionaire Stanley Black are on board for the Foundation and support for the trial.

Media are invited to cover and interview Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs lawyers.

Ida Waksberg v. St. John’s Hospital  (Case NO: SC 107508)

Santa Monica Superior Courthouse- County of Los Angeles-West District

1725 Main Street  Santa Monica, CA  90401

Monday August 18^th at 9:00AM

Contact:  For Plaintiffs interviews:  Edward Lozzi & Associates  epl@lozzipr.com

Edward Lozzi & Associates

Lozzi Media Group

9454 Wilshire Blvd.  Suite 600

Beverly Hills, CA  90212

310-922-1200

www.lozzipr.com