Professional Negligence Law Reporter

William Paradeses presented to the Baptist Medical Center emergency room, suffering from a foot infection. He was admitted to the facility with orders for continuous monitoring of his blood-oxygen saturation level and heart rate. Additionally, orders called for him to receive supplemental oxygen via a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. During his admission, Paradeses stopped breathing and suffered cardiac arrest. He was later found unresponsive in his hospital bed with his CPAP mask removed from his face. As a result of his cardiac arrest, Paradeses suffered inadequate oxygen to his brain and a resultant anoxic brain injury. He was later removed from life support. Paradeses is survived by various extended family members.

His estate sued the hospital, alleging it negligently failed to set up, test, and monitor the alarms for Paradeses’s CPAP and pulse oximeter alarms.

The parties settled for $485,000.

Citation: Paradeses v. Palmetto Health Alliance, No. 2017-CP-40-05544 (S.C. Ct. Com. Pl. Richland Cty. Mar. 10, 2020).

Plaintiff counsel: Robert B. Ransom, Columbia, S.C.