A preventable death from medical negligence exposes how hospital delays in critical care can cost lives when bureaucracy trumps patient urgency.
Story Highlights
- Andrew Gabor died from pulmonary embolism after 12-hour delay in STAT-ordered CT scan
- Hospital failed to perform urgent imaging within required one-hour timeframe
- Sister Maria Healey files lawsuit citing preventable death from medical negligence
- Case highlights systemic failures in hospital emergency protocols and accountability
Fatal Delay in Critical Care
Andrew Gabor presented at a hospital with chest pain symptoms in March 2024, prompting doctors to order a STAT CT angiography to diagnose a suspected pulmonary embolism. The urgent scan, required within one hour for life-threatening conditions, was delayed for twelve hours. Gabor died from a bilateral pulmonary embolism on March 4, 2024, before the delayed diagnostic procedure could inform treatment decisions that might have saved his life.
Sister Seeks Justice Through Legal Action
Maria Healey received the hospital’s investigative report nearly a year after her brother’s death, confirming her suspicions of medical negligence. The report validated her belief that Andrew’s death was entirely preventable, prompting her to file a lawsuit against the hospital. Healey expressed anger and disappointment at the systemic failure that cost her brother’s life, stating she felt vindicated by the official findings that supported her claims of institutional negligence.
Systemic Hospital Failures Exposed
The case reveals dangerous gaps in hospital emergency protocols where STAT orders—designed for immediate, life-threatening situations—are ignored or delayed. Pulmonary embolism requires rapid diagnosis and intervention, as blood clots traveling to the lungs can be fatal within hours. Medical experts emphasize that delays in critical diagnostic imaging represent a recognized patient safety crisis that hospitals continue to inadequately address despite established protocols.
Patient died after it took over 10 hours to get a CT scan when he complained of chest pains, lawsuit says https://t.co/CL36KlXeD1
— marvel satin (@Montanaontario) September 8, 2025
This lawsuit highlights broader concerns about healthcare institutions prioritizing administrative convenience over patient lives. The twelve-hour delay suggests either severe understaffing, equipment failures, or institutional indifference to urgent medical needs. Such systemic breakdowns erode public trust in medical care and demonstrate how bureaucratic inefficiency can have deadly consequences for patients seeking emergency treatment.
Sources:
Patient died after it took over 10 hours to get a CT scan; lawsuit filed by sister