Friday, October 11, 2019, was the third anniversary of Chef Marcel Bonetti’s
death. It was also the day a jury in St. Charles County, Missouri found
fault on the part of Dr. Peter McCarthy, M.D., an emergency department
physician at Barnes Jewish St. Peters hospital, for his passing.
Case Background
Marcel Bonetti, a renowned Springfield chef, died five days after undergoing
a straightforward umbilical hernia repair. He returned to the hospital
two days after the surgery, complaining of constipation pains and abdominal
distention. Dr. McCarthy diagnosed Bonetti with a post-operative ileus
before sending him home. The patient went back to the hospital two days
later, and doctors finally diagnosed him with bowel ischemia. However,
Bonetti was already septic by the time he was taken to the operating room.
He died several hours after the surgery.
Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci Represent Bonetti’s Family
Roger Johnson and
Patrick Martucci of Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci filed malpractice-based wrongful death
claims on behalf of Bonetti’s wife of 44 years and his three adult
children. The claims against Dr. McCarthy centered around his failure
to provide IV fluids to a dehydrated patient, his failure to notify the
surgeon or to have a CT scan or blood work performed, and his failure
to decompress the abdomen. Dr. McCarthy defended his diagnosis by claiming
that the patient had a bowel movement, and his pain had significantly
improved before being discharged.
No offers were made by Dr. McCarthy or the company that contracted with
him: Southeastern Emergency Physicians of Memphis (SEPM). The St. Charles
jury returned a verdict for one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) against
Dr. McCarthy and found that he was the agent of SEPM.
Attorney Roger Johnson shared the following statement following the verdict:
“This remarkable man, Marcel Bonetti, made a huge difference in all
the lives that he touched during his 73 years. Not the least of which
is the legacy he left through his wife Corinne and his wonderful children:
Elizabeth Scott, Brigitte Bonetti, and Gregory Bonetti. They made terrific
witnesses at trial, telling the story of Marcel’s life and bringing
honor to his memory. The St. Charles jury, despite the County’s
reputation as being ultra-conservative, saw that a terrible wrong had
occurred to this family and that basic medical workup and care would have
saved his life. We are grateful that they brought the peace that sometimes
only justice can bring.”
This is the third jury verdict of a million dollars or more obtained by
the lawyers at Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci on malpractice cases in 2019.
Do You Require Trial-Tested Legal Representation? Call Johnson, Vorhees
& Martucci Today!
Contact the
medical malpractice attorneys at Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci if you or a loved one has
been harmed or killed by a negligent physician. Our skilled trial lawyers
have over 140 years of collective litigation experience and a comprehensive
understanding of this challenging legal field.
Contact Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci
at (833) 600-0125 to arrange a free consultation. We provide our services
to the residents of Joplin and Springfield.
