Unwanted Medical Treatment - Increasing Lawsuits to Defend Patient Rights

Sally Jordan

In two recent articles (here and here), I argued that there are a growing number of lawsuits brought against clinicians who administer unwanted medical treatment, particularly at the end of life.  The latter article was picked up as the basis of a recent New York Times story.  

The trend continues.  In 2014, Sally Dell Jordan executed an advance directive declining aggressive treatment.  But in May 2015, while a resident at a Dallas area SNF, the staff administered life-sustaining treatment in violation of the do-not-resuscitate provisions in her directive and orders.

Her family recently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit seeking economic, non-economic, and exemplary damages. (HT: Dallas Morning News)