A ruling from an Ohio appeals court earlier this month will allow dozens of wrongful death cases against a physician and an Ohio health system to move forward, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
William Husel, DO, a former physician at Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel Health System, was charged June 5 in the deaths of 25 hospital patients. He was charged after an investigation concluded that he purposely caused the deaths of the patients between 2015 and 2018 by ordering excessive painkiller doses for terminally ill patients.
Dr. Husel is also being sued in civil court. Since January, 30 wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against him and Mount Carmel Health System.
Lawyers representing Dr. Husel and Mount Carmel Health System asked the Franklin County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas to pause the civil cases until Dr. Husel's criminal trial concludes. A judge denied that request in June, and the lawyers filed an appeal, according to WOSU.
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals recently dismissed the case on procedural grounds, ruling that the Franklin County Court decision was not a final one that could be appealed. The ruling clears the way for the civil cases against Dr. Husel and Mount Carmel Health System to proceed.
Dr. Husel has pleaded not guilty and is free on $1 million bail. His criminal trial is slated for June 2020, according to WOSU.
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