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Failure to assess patient’s gastrointestinal condition
November/December 2025Mary Breslin, 86, was admitted to Rydal Park for short-term rehabilitation following hip surgery. During her previous hospitalization, she was identified as having constipation, and she suffered from abdominal pain and vomiting after she was admitted to the rehabilitation facility. Two weeks later, she was sent to a hospital, suffering from sepsis and a fecal impaction. She died two days later of septic shock and is survived by her eight adult children, one of whom suffered from mental illness and lived with her.
Breslin’s estate sued Rydal Park of Philadelphia PRS, alleging claims for wrongful death and survival. The plaintiff asserted that the defendant violated its own policy requiring an assessment of a patient’s previous gastrointestinal problems.
The parties settled for $200,000.
Citation: Breslin v. Rydal Park of Phila. PRS, No. 2023-21118 (Pa. Ct. Com. Pl. Montgomery Cnty. June 26, 2025).
Plaintiff counsel: Charles Galvin, Philadelphia.
