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“That’s right,” said Whiteley. “According to the ISMP, approximately seven thousand people die each year from medication errors alone.”
Yuki scribbled in her notebook, getting it all down. The facts were shocking, but she didn’t care about what Whiteley had to say. He was an apologist, a corporate suit, the warm-up act. She’d stolen a glance at the defense table during the last recess.
She’d seen the witness lineup.
For a week, she’d waited for the next witness to take the stand.
As soon as Kramer was done with Whiteley, he was going to call Dr. Dennis Garza.
Chapter 70
KRAMER SHUFFLED PAPERS as Dennis Garza was sworn in, thinking, You don’t always get the witnesses you want. You get the witnesses you get.
Kramer looked up to see the undeniably good-looking doctor straighten his Armani jacket as he took the witness seat. He shot the cuffs of his tailored shirt, crossed his legs, sat perfectly straight and completely at ease.
Garza looked more like a Hollywood actor than a guy who was up to his wrists in blood and guts sixty hours a week.
But even that wasn’t the problem.
What worried Kramer was that Garza was as volatile as he was cocky. He’d resisted being prepped, saying that after twenty-two years of medical practice, he was fully capable of answering the charges against the hospital.
Kramer hoped to hell he was right.
Garza’s testimony could tip the case. This was it. Kramer smiled tightly and greeted his witness.
“Dr. Garza, you’re aware of the plaintiffs’ charges?”
“Yes. And I feel very sorry for the families.”
“I’m going to ask you specifically about the patients who were admitted by the emergency room while you were on duty.”
Kramer questioned Garza, beginning to feel better by the minute as the doctor explained away each of the patient fatalities in a reasoned, believable, authoritative voice. Garza was in a great groove.
“Do you see any pattern in these deaths, Dr. Garza? Anything at all?”
“I see the absence of a pattern,” Garza said, raking his thick hair away from his forehead. “I see the random, regrettable errors that happen every day in every hospital in the country. In the world for that matter.”
“Thank you, Dr. Garza. Your witness,” Kramer said to O’Mara.
Kramer watched Maureen O’Mara walk to the lectern, an expression on her face that cast a cold shadow over Kramer’s newborn feeling of relief. He knew Maureen. Had gone against her a few times before. She was always prepared, always smart, and a strong interrogator.
But he saw something now in her face that alarmed him.
She looked eager.
Chapter 71
YUKI LEANED FORWARD in her seat as Maureen addressed the witness.
“Dr. Garza, Jessie Falk was your patient?” O’Mara asked. “Do you remember Jessie Falk?”
“Yes. Of course I do.”
“Your Honor, it’s been established that Jessie Falk was admitted to Municipal for cardiac arrhythmia. That her death was caused by the wrongful administration of epinephrine that caused her subsequent cardiac arrest and death.”
“Mr. Kramer?” asked the judge.
“That’s fine, Judge.”
