Navigation Estate Representative Alleges Negligence Against Florida Hospital Following Wife’s Death
In a harrowing case of alleged medical negligence, the estate of Jane Murphy has filed a lawsuit against multiple healthcare providers following her tragic death. The complaint was lodged by Chester Pratte, acting as the personal representative of his late wife’s estate, in the Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida on April 9, 2025. The defendants include JFK Medical Center Limited Partnership, operating as HCA Florida JFK Hospital, and several associated medical professionals.
The lawsuit details a series of events that began on March 4, 2024, when Jane Murphy underwent an elective cardiac ablation procedure at JFK Hospital. The procedure was performed by Dr. Marcello Jimenez in the hospital’s Electrophysiology lab. During the operation, complications arose leading to a significant drop in Murphy’s blood pressure and subsequent pericardial effusion—a condition where fluid accumulates around the heart. Despite attempts to manage the situation through procedures like pericardiocentesis and blood transfusions, Murphy’s condition deteriorated into cardiac tamponade. It took nearly four hours from the initial signs of bleeding for Murphy to be moved to an operating suite for emergency surgery; however, she succumbed to cardiopulmonary arrest later that evening.
Chester Pratte accuses JFK Hospital and its staff of failing to provide adequate medical care and resources necessary for timely intervention during emergencies. The complaint outlines multiple failures including lack of massive transfusion protocols and delays in surgical intervention which allegedly contributed to Murphy’s untimely death. Pratte asserts that these lapses represent a breach of duty owed by the hospital and its staff to provide competent medical care.
