The family of a Marion County mother who lost her life at the age of 45 has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against AdventHealth Ocala, claiming doctors discharged the woman after heart surgery with no testing or additional treatment, despite exhibiting several “concerning signs” and symptoms that required medical attention.
Attorneys representing the family of the late Angela Don Wood filed the lawsuit against Dr. Sherif Elgamal and Florida Hospital Ocala (d/b/a AdventHealth Ocala) in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Marion County on April 25.
According to the complaint, Wood was admitted to an AdventHealth Ocala on February 18, 2024, after suffering a heart attack.
During her hospitalization, Wood was allegedly treated by Dr. Samantha Kwon, Physician’s Assistant Robert Langford, and Dr. Elgamal, among other staff.
On February 21, 2024, three days after she was first hospitalized, Wood underwent coronary artery bypass surgery to address six blocked arteries. In the days following that procedure, the complaint alleges that Wood exhibited “concerning signs” and that her “lab results revealed an elevated anion gap, indicating metabolic acidosis.”
That condition, according to Wood’s attorneys, required medical attention.
On the morning of February 26, 2024, Dr. Elgamal documented concerns about Wood’s “worsening metabolic acidosis.” At the time, the doctor allegedly “recommended further evaluation before discharge.”
According to the complaint, there is nothing indication in medical records that additional testing or treatment was performed before Wood was discharged on February 26, 2024.
At the time of her discharge, the complaint alleges that Wood “exhibited multiple abnormal findings, including a persistently high anion gap, tachycardia (elevated heart rate), and leukocytosis (increased white blood cell count).”
The complaint suggests the abnormalities could have indicated “metabolic dysfunction, infection, or systemic inflammation.”
The complaint alleges that Dr. Elgamal and Langford produced two different discharge summaries for Wood. Langford’s summary, which was filed at approximately 8:44 a.m. on February 26, 2024, shows that the document was initially incomplete and marked as “cosign needed.” According to the complaint, that discharge summary was not signed by Dr. Kwon until 6:14 p.m. on April 22, 2024.
Dr. Elgamal’s discharge summary was filed at approximately 9:51 a.m. and was signed by the doctor a few minutes after at 9:56 a.m. on February 26, 2024.
The complaint alleges that, between both Langford and Elgamal’s discharge summaries, there was no assessment of Wood’s “worsening metabolic acidosis” before her discharge.
Less than 24 hours after she was discharged from the hospital, at approximately 5:30 a.m. on February 27, 2024, Wood woke up complaining of pain. By 8 a.m., Wood allegedly had become “incoherent.”
Wood’s parents, who were staying with her while her husband was working, noticed that their daughter was “confused and unable to communicate normally” on the morning of February 27, 2024. Her parents called the hospital and described her symptoms. At the time, the parents were advised to have Wood “get up, drink water, and move around.”
“There is no record that Dr. Kwon [or medical staff] evaluated Wood or recommended emergency care at that time,” reads the complaint.
That evening, when Mr. Wood returned home from work, he allegedly found his wife in the same, incoherent state first reported to medical staff hours earlier.
Mr. Wood and his parents-in-law called the hospital once again and, during that call, they were told to call an ambulance immediately because Mrs. Wood may have “suffered a stroke.”
Wood was transported by ambulance to HCA Maricamp Emergency in the early morning hours of February 28, 2024, and was transferred to AdventHealth a few hours after her arrival.
Upon admission to AdventHealth, Wood was diagnosed with severe metabolic acidosis, septic shock, coagulopathy (a blood clotting disorder), and pneumonia.
On February 29, 2024, Wood’s family was informed by medical staff that she was “septic, anemic, and had dangerously low blood pressure,” according to the complaint.
Wood’s condition continued to decline for several days until she passed away on March 3, 2024.
On her death certificate, Wood’s primary causes of death were listed as septic shock, pneumonia, and septic encephalopathy with metabolic acidosis. Additionally, “disseminated intravascular coagulation” is listed as a significant condition that contributed to her death, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit goes on to accuse the doctors and medical staff of exhibiting negligence in their treatment of Wood by failing to recognize her worsening condition and failing to intervene.
“As a direct and proximate result of their negligence, Wood died,” reads the complaint. It indicates that her husband and children have suffered medical and funeral expenses and will continue to suffer from “mental pain and suffering” and the loss of Wood’s “companionship, protection and instruction,” indefinitely.
The complaint, which was filed by Gainesville-based Warner, Sechrest, & Butts, Personal Attorneys, seeks in excess of $50,000 in damages.
According to her obituary, Wood was born in Bloomfield, Iowa. Before her death, she had purchased a flock of chickens to raise, reminiscing that it reminded her of her days in the Midwest. She was married to her husband for 21 years, a mother of three children, and grandmother to one.