STAMFORD, CT — A Connecticut man has filed a lawsuit against Stamford Hospital, claiming he suffered permanent brain damage after being dropped on his head during a routine patient transfer over two years ago.
On Nov. 1, 2023, Peter Ferraro, 68 at the time, was scheduled to undergo a routine hip replacement surgery. During the procedure and while under anesthesia, his health care providers dropped him while trying to transfer him from the operating table to a hospital bed, the lawsuit claims.
Ferraro hit his head on the floor, and he suffered subarachnoid hemorrhages, a subdural hematoma, and a traumatic brain injury, the lawsuit claims.
Stamford Hospital, Stamford Health, Harbor Point Anesthesia LLC, and Dr. Kristy M. Labib are listed as defendants. The lawsuit was filed in Superior Court of Bridgeport on Feb. 24.
Ferraro’s wife, Beth Anne Ferraro, is a plaintiff in the lawsuit and filed loss of consortium claims, claiming she “has been, and continues to be, deprived of the companionship and society of her husband, all to her damage.”
“Our lives are now changed forever because the hospital staff that I trusted to take care of my husband failed him,” Beth Anne Ferraro said in an announcement this week from law firm Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder. “Right now, he should be recovering from his hip replacement. Instead, he’s now stuck with permanent brain damage. His life – our lives – have been changed forever.”
The lawsuit claims those involved failed to make proper and safe use of hospital and/or surgical equipment, including operating tables and gurneys, and failed to make adequate and proper use of safety mechanisms.
“This was a completely preventable incident,” said Kathleen Nastri, Ferraro’s attorney. “Hospitals have clear safety protocols for patient transfers, especially when a patient is unconscious and entirely dependent on medical staff for protection. A simple failure to secure the bed has permanently altered the course of Mr. Ferraro’s life. Healthcare providers must be held accountable when basic patient safety standards are not followed.”
Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder says Ferraro continues to undergo treatment for injuries that have left him with “persistent cognitive impairment, memory loss, confusion, and brain fog.”
“He suffers from impaired balance and gait, difficulty ambulating, hand tremors, and challenges with writing and daily tasks, along with severe depression, debilitating anxiety, and panic attacks,” the law firm said in an announcement. “The injuries have prevented him from returning to work, limited his ability to socialize and pursue hobbies, and permanently diminished his quality of life.”
In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Stamford Health told Patch via email: “While we cannot comment on the specifics of this pending litigation due to privacy concerns, providing safe, high-quality care to our patients is always our top priority. Patient safety incidents are unfortunate and rare. We take these matters seriously and promptly investigate any incidents to identify root causes and areas for improvement so that they do not happen again.