James Woods Takes Hospital to Court in Brother's Death
Posted Tuesday 10 November 06:19 AM By: PopEater / Wire Services
A hospital did not do enough to care for the brother of
James Woods when he went to the emergency room complaining of a sore throat and vomiting in 2006, a lawyer for the actor told jurors Monday at the trial of a wrongful death lawsuit. Michael Woods died from heart disease at Kent Hospital in Warwick on July 26, 2006, after going into cardiac arrest on a gurney. He was 49.
Attorney Mark Decof said in opening statements that the actor's brother wasn't seen by a doctor until an hour after he arrived and was initially treated in a section of the emergency room generally reserved for less-urgent cases.
Even after an EKG came back abnormal, he was not given oxygen, aspirin or hooked up to heart monitoring to track further deterioration - all part of the standard of care in treating someone in Woods' condition, Decof said.
Instead, he was taken for additional X-rays and afterward left on a gurney in a hallway near a nurse's station because no room was available. He went into cardiac arrest and died nearly three hours after his arrival at the hospital.
Lawyers for the hospital said Woods' symptoms were inconsistent with someone having a heart attack. They said he denied to the nurse that he was having more typical symptoms, like chest pain, and even tried to downplay his illness by assuring her that he was fine and didn't need so much attention. They said he had complained previously within the last year of a sore throat.
Woods was overweight, had high blood pressure, an artery severely narrowed by plaque, and also suffered from myocardial ischemia, a condition caused by lack of blood flow to the heart.
Decof said the death could have been prevented had hospital staff recognized Woods' condition early enough, but lawyers for the hospital say his heart and arteries were already so diseased that there was no way to save him and that he died before any potentially lifesaving measures could even have been taken.
"Only a psychic could have known what was actually wrong with him," said defense lawyer Jason Preciphs.
The tests that were ordered, he added, "didn't rule anything in and it didn't rule anything out."
James Woods earned Oscar nominations for his roles in "Ghosts of Mississippi" and "Salvador." Other credits include "Nixon," "Casino," "Any Given Sunday" and the CBS legal drama "Shark." He is suing along with his nephew Peyton, Michael's teenage son.
Testimony begins Tuesday in Kent County Superior Court. The trial is expected to last about a month.
Michael Woods, a businessman who lived in Warwick, was also an actor who appeared in several of his brother's movies and ran twice unsuccessfully for mayor of the city, which is several miles south of Providence.
Comments
(294)Add a comment
Tuesday 10 November
By Kat
Sorry for his loss but I am glad someone is bringing things like this to light. That is terrible to have been left for 3 hrs after his EKG showed something abnormal. People think we have good health care now?
Reply
Tuesday 10 November
By LRS
What needs to be brought to light is this man at 49 years old was overweight and most probably sedentary, the damage to his body was because of his lifestyles and then to blame an overworked ER for his death is unconscionable, that is one thing wrong with healthcare is that there is no health, people smoke, drink, overeat, and dont exercise and the cry when a tragedy happens. What is wrong is certain factions make more money destroying our health than is spent on promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Tuesday 10 November
By mcf
Yes, it's terrible for the family because they love their relative. We had a loving friend that the same thing happened to many years ago, but we're not family. Love doesn't make doctors/staff do the right thing. She lie in the hallway with no attention whatsoever and died with no one there and her family didn't care enough to even look into it. There are many things that the medical people and insurance companies do that is immoral and unethical. Just like it was the norm in the 60's for sexual harrassment. We have so many laws that aren't being enforced now...but what are we to do...solutions please..
Tuesday 10 November
By Ralph
There are three separate topics being combined here. First the hospital SHOULD have intervened when seeing the abnormal EKG.
Yes he obviously had bad health habits, but that is not appropriate to address when presenting in an ER!
Thirdly, ALL patients have to be triaged and treated regardless of what they "say". Go read the symptoms of a Heart Attack. One of THE most common is DENIAL! Nausea is also there!
Maybe we should stop trying to lower health care costs by cutting staffing and filling in with EMTs, MA's, CNA's and HCA's? I am NOT denigrating those trained and caring people. I AM denigrating hospital administrators who condone cost cutting by lowering the staffing and credentials of staff, while raising their OWN salaries!
Tuesday 10 November
By m
Exactly! I cannot believe how many times I have taken a loved one to the ER and have received such unconscionable treatment. In fact, 4 months ago I took my elderly mother to the ER at 2 a.m. because she had elevated blood pressure and was exhibiting all the symptoms of a stroke victim. However, the ER personnel waited 45 mins before admitting her, then the doctor didn't even see her for another 2 hours! He proceeded to tell her that she needed to take her blood pressure medicine like she was a 3 three year old! Then he diagnosed her with a "cough and viral infection." He didn't even do an EKG or any other test on her, and yet he said that the EKG results turned up "normal." The fact is that as an attorney, I can tell you that it is extremely common for doctors to lie and add and delete pertinent info from the patient's health records.
Best of luck to Mr. Woods.
Tuesday 10 November
By David
So let's get this straight ... the lawyers defense for the hospital is, there was nothing we could have done anyway so that's why we didn't try and left him on a gurney for three hours? Sounds like this is the law firm of Dewey, Cheatum & Howe. And by the way, to all the people who say, "He was fat anyway so screw him", screw you! I happen to be a skinny 160 lb., 5'11" guy and I would never treat anyone with such disrespect. Apparently there are a lot of perfect people reading blogs on AOL, but I suspect they are only perfect in their imperfect minds!
Tuesday 10 November
By J
I am grateful that Mr. Woods is bringing this suit against Kent. I live in Warwick and this is not the first time this has happened at Kent. Unfortunately medical malpractice suits are expensive to litigate and difficult to win. Most people cannot afford to sue and this is how the hospital gets away with this type of treatment time and time again. This same hospital misdiagnosed me several years ago, and if I did not have an exceptional primary doctor who sent me elsewhere for further tests, I might not be here now. Perhaps Mr. Woods will save a few lives.
Tuesday 10 November
By lgh
my brother was in the emergency room for 2 hours after an accident with every bone in his face broken and his eye hanging out, with no treatment whatsoever, except for a urinary catheter placed that was also causing him pain. Nothing given for pain. Emergency care in our country is sketchy at best, definately depending on who is on call and what is going on at the time.
Wednesday 11 November
By Holly
We have great medical care but too many people are completely and utterly ignorant about how to help the doctors help them! You can't go in and not give the ER doctors all of your symptoms and history too. And obviously this guy had not been taking care of himself. It's ALWAYS someone else's fault when it comes to medical care. But in truth both sides are to blame. So too who hold blame are those who use the ER for routine medical care because they haven't bothered to purchase health insurance. They crowd our ER's to the brim and don't allow the physicians working there to truly focus on EMERGENCY CARE! Betcha they have a car and cable television, and probably drink alcohol or even smoke....but buy health insurance! Why when I can get free care via an ER!? "Let'm just try and find me and make me pay!"
James Woods needs to consider how well his brother took care of his health before putting all the blame on any doctor or hospital. THIS is one reason our healthcare costs are so STUPID!
Tuesday 10 November
By Ira
This shows that hospitals still are responsible for some peoples death! In my opinion North Shore Forest Hills killed my mother with their inadequate care!!! When they knew she was going to die they transferred her to a rehab facility. The Doctor their said (on condition of my not repeating what he said ) that she came in a malnuritious like state. N.S. Forest Hills got away with it but i hope this hospital pays dearly!!
Tuesday 10 November
By Ken
There are many good points in these comments. First and foremost, why isn't Mr. Woods being held responsible for his own health. He was overweight, with high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. Was he taking his medication, exercising, eating properly, following up regularly with his physicians, smoking? Or, was he relying on the treatment he would receive in an ER, if and when, he had an illness or heart attack? Where is his accountability in all of this. The fundamental lack of assuming responsibility for one's actions is killing this country's health care system. It's always the health care system's fault and the health care system's responsibility to treat and save those that choose to neglect their own health. Until we all accept some responsibility for our own health maintenance this system will continue to disappoint.
Point #2-although totally politically incorrect, and racist, the comment about uninsured patients overcrowding our ERs is valid. Uninsured patients rely on ERs to treat illnesses as routine as the common cold simply because they have no primary care doctor for their day to day medical needs. The result is overcrowded, understaffed hospitals. So, perhaps the Obama administration is on the right track with this one.
Point #3- We don't know exactly what happened here. Of course, someone with a history of heart problems will have EKG abnormality. Not all EKG abnormalities mean that a heart attack is ocurring. The article does not make this clear. Also, the symptoms are not typical of heart attack. He may have had other facts in his medical history, such as prior abdominal surgery causing his vomiting, which would have made xrays a vital test to obtain.
Finally, we need to discard the expectation that EVERYONE can be cured of EVERYTHING, the "healing imperative" that is pervasive in this country. The system is not,and NEVER will be,perfect . Doctors are human and subject to the same potential for mistakes as any other human being. Some illnesses cannot be cured. Lawyers need to be held more accountable for the frivolity that represents for them a lottery in the form of malpractice cases that are overburdening our health care system costs.
And one more thing David. Japanese that are born and live in the United States of America have the same life expectancy as Japanese born and living in Japan. So, it has nothing to do with health care.
Tuesday 10 November
By jane doe
We have one of the lowest quality healthcare systems and education systems in the civilized world. Where do you think the excess money goes to? Corps and stockholders and lobbyists who are getting rich while the rest of us live a meager existence as peasants. There are more criminals at the top than there are at the bottom: they just are not doing time! They get away with it and repetitively rape the public through fraud, loopholes, and unethical tactics.
Thanks for letting me have my peace!
Tuesday 10 November
By John
No way they should have listened to the patient in a situation like that. The ER should have followed procedure. If they had taken it seriously, Mr. Woods could have been in open heart surgery before he died. His chances of survival may have been low, but you don't write people off as an excuse for incompetence. I hope Mr. Woods take them a few bucks, maybe they will revier their procedures.
Tuesday 10 November
By James T
Indeed, I am also glad this is being brought to our attention. Last year, I had a very similar situation with my father, I felt that the Veterans hospital didnt do enough to help him, so I know exactly how James Woods feels...
Tuesday 10 November
By Jeffrey Sneller
If this is an example of the kind of treatment a patient receives in ER can you imagine what your chances are under a government run health care system. Frankly, however, I find this very tragic story incongruent with emergency care I received when there was even the slightest possibility of a heart-related problem -- which is high priority in most hospitals, especially if an EKG indicates an irregular condition. My condolences to Michael Wood's immediate family and his brother, James.
Tuesday 10 November
By lee
Yes, we have excellent health care here. The problem is about the payment, coverage, etc., not the treatments. People come from all over the world to get medical attention in the US. Don't get the two confused.
Wednesday 11 November
By CeCe
Kat, I agree. LRS, his poor physical condition was 'brought to light'. The article was not about his lack of care for his body, rather it was the lack of care for him shown in the hospital. I worked in the medical field for over 30 years and I can assure you it has gone downhill. There's no way I would work in a hospital again and not for most doctors. Hospitals for the most part, are run by conglomerates who care more for the income generated than who they kill while making the big bucks!
Wednesday 11 November
By stef
kent hospital worse hospital in RI....did my training there in '83
Wednesday 11 November
By Rodney Life
Mr. Wood is a Republican. They are for tort reform, and have faught for years to deny others the right to sue doctors and hospitals for damages.
Now that there is a problem for Mr. Wood, he seems to believe that people should be allowed to sue.
For years, Republicans have complained that people do not take responsibility for their own lives, stop whining, and not seek damages. Now it's a different story.
I hope the result of Mr. Woods lawsuit is exactly what he has advocated the result be for others.
Wednesday 11 November
By Denise
The only ones who think we have good health insurance are the rich. Our country should be a shame for treating there own the way we do when it comes to medical treatment. Third world countries have better health treatment then we do. Yet we are a lot more knowledgable then the third worlds. SHAME SHAME on those politicians and health insurance companies