Ohio patient death settlement offers called ‘unreasonable’

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lawyers representing patients who died after an intensive care doctor allegedly ordered them excessive doses of painkillers are calling settlement offers by an Ohio hospital system unreasonable.

The Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System fired William Husel (HYOO’-suhl) in December. It found he ordered potentially fatal doses for 29 patients over several years.

Columbus law firm Leeseberg & Valentine, which represents several of the patients’ families, said Thursday it’s proceeding with lawsuits against the system despite being willing to settle early on.

The firm called offers by the hospital system’s insurance carriers “unreasonable, offensive, and disrespectful” of the impact of the deaths.

Mount Carmel declined to comment. The system has publicly apologized and put employees on leave pending further review. Those on leave include pharmacists, nurses and managers.