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This New Port Richey Lawsuit Could Shake Up Suburbia

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 20, 2008

It'll be up to a judge or jury to separate fact from emotion in hearing a lawsuit that blames a husband and wife for not saving a man's life when he was stricken during dinner two years ago. But the simple fact that the complaint was filed is chilling.

As the Tribune's Todd Leskanic reported last week, Andreas Pieri died about two weeks after he experienced a medical emergency while having dinner with two friends at their home in New Port Richey. His wife, Thelma Pieri, faults the couple for not performing the Heimlich maneuver on her husband, but there is a dispute over whether his death was even related to choking.

The defendants' lawyer says medical records and the death certificate indicate a heart attack was the cause of death.

Either way, it's a sad commentary that raises a lot of questions. And it's important to point out something the lawsuit doesn't allege - that the couple deliberately stood by and did nothing while their friend was in trouble. The couple did try to save Andreas Pieri, according to their lawyer, including calling 911.

The questions: Should people be held civilly liable for failing to save someone who falls ill or has a medical emergency in their home, especially if the cause is a heart attack or choking? That's a scary proposition.

Suppose you get terrified and freeze when a friend collapses or is struggling to breathe. Does that mean you could be looking at monetary damages for any delay in getting help or failing to know CPR or another potentially life-saving procedure? That's equally frightening.

Does this mean that residents better protect themselves - and their assets - by taking courses in emergency medical procedures? Of course, that's always a good idea, but the fear of being sued certainly isn't the right reason to do it.

Or should people require dinner guests to sign disclaimers before breaking bread? Having to go to that length would be tremendously sad.

Like many lawsuits, there's probably more to this story than we know, or need to know. All we really need to know is that someone fell ill at the dinner table of two friends and eventually died, and now those friends find themselves in civil court, accused in his death.

It's a case that everyone should follow closely.

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