Patient-13
Newborn baby was injured in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), leading to cardiac arrest and permanent developmental damage. Sunrise Hospital attorneys resisted efforts to depose Chief Medical Officer, Jeffrey Murawsky.
This case involved a lawsuit filed by Tiffiny Grace, on behalf of her baby, E.G., against Sunrise Hospital.
Newborn patient, E.G., was born prematurely at Sunrise Hospital on January 8, 2018. Sunrise's medical team placed him in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit due to complications from the premature birth.
On February 27, 2018, his assigned nurse, Cord Olsen, changed his fluid lines.
Shortly thereafter, E.G. decompensated, his oxygen levels and heart rate plummeted, and his skin splotched with discolorations.
He entered into cardiac arrest, and medical staff rushed to save him.
E.G. ultimately suffered a hypoxic event, leading to permanent developmental damage.
A lawsuit was initiated against Sunrise Hospital due to injury and permanent developmental damage to baby E.G.
The following facts briefly mention Sunrise Hospital's strategy to try to avoid having Dr, Jeffrey Murawsky, Chief Medical Officer at Sunrise Hospital and the chair of the Patient Safety Committee, answer certain questions during his deposition. The attorney for Sunrise Hospital is Michael E. Prangle. For more details, read the Nevada Supreme Court ruling.
Sunrise has a Patient Safety Committee, which investigated E.G.'s cardiac arrest with the goal of improving future healthcare outcomes. Dr. Jeffrey Murawsky, the Chief Medical Officer of Sunrise, chaired the committee. His deposition testimony revealed that Sunrise used a patient safety evaluation system as its internal process for collecting, managing, and analyzing the information that it reported to the patient safety organization. The Patient Safety Committee reviewed that information, collected additional data, and maintained that data within its internal evaluation system.
Real party in interest Tiffiny Grace, E.G.'s legal guardian, sued Sunrise Hospital and Nurse Olsen for professional negligence. During discovery, she attempted to depose Dr. Murawsky. She sought to discover what information the Patient Safety Committee examined in its investigation. Sunrise objected to some of the questions Grace posed on the basis of privileges under both Nevada law and the PSQIA. Grace halted the deposition, citing the need for answers to those questions. She then moved to compel further deposition testimony from Dr. Murawsky.
Plaintiffs' attorneys filed a Motion to Compel the testimony of Dr. Murkawsky, and the issue proceeded through the legal process.
The Nevada Supreme Court issued their ruling on March 7, 2024, directing the district court to reconsider the motion to compel in light of this opinion.
The new trial is scheduled for November 17, 2025.
Note: The case of baby E.G. happened at Sunrise Hospital in 2018. Dr. Murawsky left his position as Chief Medical Officer at Sunrise Hospital in 2020 and assumed a
new position on August 4, 2020, as Chief Medical Director at SilverSummit Healthplan, based on the press release.
In 2021, he changed jobs again. He was named as Chief Medical Officer at HCA Healthcare's Far West Division.
Baby E.G. was in the NICU. His nurse changed his fluid lines and, shortly thereafter, E.G. decompensated, his oxygen levels and heart rate plummeted, and his skin splotched with discolorations. He went into cardiac arrest and suffered a hypoxic event, leading to permanent developmental damage.
Just say NO to Sunrise Hospital
Additional cases where attorney Michael Prangle represented Las Vegas hospitals in medical malpractice lawsuits (cases lost by Prangle)
As mentioned on this page, Sunrise Hospital is being represented by Michael E. Prangle in the case of baby E.G.
Prangle has represented Las Vegas hospitals in additional malpractice cases. Here is information on two big cases where the Plaintiffs won and Michael Prangle lost.
Elisa Sales vs Summerlin Hospital (settlement reached on October 24, 2019). Plaintiff had asked for up to $63 million in damages. Confidential settlement reached during jury deliberations. Plaintiff won.
The lawsuit alleged that Summerlin Hospital had failed to begin emergency restitution quickly enough during surgery. She was without oxygen for 9 minutes, leaving her with permanent brain damage. The plaintiff was represented by attorney Sean Claggett.
The plaintiff had asked the jury for a settlement of up to $63 million in damages. The hospital agreed to a confidential settlement with the plaintiff during jury deliberations.
LaQuinta Whitley Murray vs Centennial Hills Hospital (jury award of $43 million on January 23, 2019). Plaintiff won.
The lawsuit alleged that Centennial Hills Hospital administered a drug called ketorolac tromethamine in excess of the manufacturer's recommended dose. The excessive use of the medication caused the 29-year-old mother to have five cardiac arrests and ultimately caused her death. The plaintiff was represented by David Creasy.
The jury award included $10.5 million in compensatory damages and $23.4 million in punitive damages.