A Pennsylvania judge denied a motion to delay depositions in a highly publicized medical malpractice trial. Attorneys for the hospital involved in the case sought a delay to allow for legal wrangling over two amended complaints, and the judge disagreed.

According to the defense attorneys, the additional filing by the plaintiff has left it unclear how many defendants there are in the case. They believe this issue was compounded due to the fact the second amended complaint was not finalized before the third complaint was filed. Plaintiffs disagreed, arguing the parties involved in the suit were clear and that there was no reason to delay the proceedings. The judge sided with the plaintiff in denying the motion.

The case stems from treatment a Pennsylvania man received at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. The patient was scheduled for an emergency airway assistance procedure by his doctor in April of 2016. The man’s neck was broken during the procedure, leading to his death. The patient suffered from a skeletal disorder that made such an injury likely. During the investigation, it was determined the doctor was also practicing without being properly certified to practice medicine. The plaintiffs allege that the hospital should have known the doctor wasn’t properly certified and should have stopped him from practicing.

Medical malpractice cases often involve doctors making errors that harm or even kill a patient. Some cases are made worse by a hospital’s failure to properly oversee the activity of a doctor. An individual injured by the medical malpractice of a doctor may have a claim for damages including medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. An attorney with experience in medical malpractice law may be able to help the patient or the patient’s family recover damages from the responsible doctor or the hospital that allowed the malpractice to occur.