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Doc, Hospital Face 8 Wrongful Death Suits Over Drug Dosages
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – An Ohio woman’s family says she died at a hospital minutes after receiving two excessive doses of potentially lethal medication ordered by a doctor now being investigated in connection with dozens of deaths.
Attorneys say the May 2015 death of 85-year-old Norma Welch prompted one of two lawsuits filed Monday against the Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System and Dr. William Husel.
The other, over the April 1 death of Columbus resident Jeremia “Sue” Hodge, brings the number of related lawsuits to eight.
Mount Carmel says Husel ordered excessive doses for at least 34 patients over several years. That raises questions about whether drugs were wrongly used to hasten deaths.
Husel was fired. His lawyers aren’t commenting.
Mount Carmel publicly apologized. Twenty other employees are on leave pending investigation.