The complaint says a woman was forced to wait hours in the hospital’s emergency room while suffering from severe chest pain, leading to permanent cognitive injuries.
HARTFORD, Conn. — The family of a Stafford woman who suffered permanent cognitive impairment is suing Trinity Health for its alleged role in a tragedy that may have been preventable.
Samantha Shegoue’s family members say she was left waiting in the emergency department at Saint Francis Hospital for over six hours while experiencing severe chest pain on Dec. 21, 2023.
They add that she was kept in the hallway despite having abnormal cardiac test results. By the time she was treated, it was too late to stop the damage.
The West Hartford-based law firm of RisCassi & Davis, P.C. announced Friday it has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit in Hartford Superior Court on behalf of Stafford resident Sonya Shegogue, who is the conservator of the person and estate of Samantha Shegogue. Samantha and Sonya Shegogue are sisters.
According to the complaint, Samantha Shegogue displayed multiple warning signs showing that she needed urgent treatment in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. These signs included abnormal EKGs, elevated troponin levels and unremitting chest pain.
Despite this, the family and law firm say she was left unattended to for far too long. By the time she was assisted, Samantha Shegogue had entered cardiac arrest.
She was resuscitated but suffered anoxic brain injury, several strokes and permanent cognitive impairment. The law firm describes these as “catastrophic injuries.”
Samantha Shegogue is now dependent on long-term skilled nursing care.
In the release from the law firm, the tragedy is described by attorneys as unnecessary and avoidable.
“Patients experiencing clear warning signs of a heart attack deserve immediate and effective care – not hours of waiting in a hospital hallway,” Attorney Paul Iannaccone of RisCassi & Davis said. “The negligence and delays had devastating consequences for Ms. Shegogue and her family.”
Attorney Julianne Lombardo Klaassen added that time is of critical importance for a patient in cardiac crisis.
“This case is about holding the hospital accountable for time it took to treat Ms. Shegogue,” Klaassen said. “Hospitals need to ensure that patients in their emergency rooms receive the urgent care they need.”
The attorneys say that the lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the harm caused, as well as the cost of lifelong medical care, the loss of earning capacity and loss of quality of life.
FOX61 reached out to Trinity Health and Saint Francis Hospital on Friday and will provide their statements when they submit them.
Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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