Estate of Craig Donald Erskine vs. Maria Fernandez, et al

Case Background

On July 03, 2017, The Estate of Craig Donald Erskine filed a Medical Malpractice lawsuit in the Florida State, Circuit Court of Duval County (Case number: 2017-CA-001456). Judge Virginia B. Norton presided over the case.

Cause

Craig Donald Erskine sought medical care at Baptist Primary Care on May 19, 2015. He had a documented history of heart valve replacement. Maria Fernandez, ARNP, evaluated Erskine, who presented with fever, loss of appetite, chills, general malaise, and shoulder pain without any recent injury. Fernandez prescribed prednisone and ordered a chest X-ray but failed to order infection tests or refer him for emergency care. Dr. Michael Waters served as both Erskine's primary care physician and Fernandez's supervising physician at Baptist Primary Care. Erskine's condition deteriorated rapidly, and an ambulance transported him to the hospital on May 21, 2015, where medical staff discovered a heart infection. He died that same day from cardiogenic shock caused by an aortic valve abscess.

Injuries

The medical providers' failure to diagnose and treat Erskine's heart infection allowed the condition to worsen significantly. The administration of prednisone potentially accelerated the infection's progression. His death resulted directly from their failure to recognize and properly treat the infection in a pat