The parents of a 13-year-old Ohio girl who died in January after receiving intravenous sedation for oral surgery will receive nearly $700,000 from the insurance company representing Henry Mazorow, DDS.
Marissa Kingery's parents, Amber McEwen of Elyria and Jason Kingery of Sheffield Lake, each will receive $331,056, according to a story in the Chronicle-Telegram. Their attorney, Michael Czack of Cleveland, will receive $318,000 and about $4,000 in expenses.
Dr. Mazorow, 81, told the Chronicle-Telegram that his insurer, CNA Insurance Company, settled the case against his wishes.
On December 21, 2010, Marissa went to Dr. Mazorow to have two teeth removed and was given a combination of propofol, ketamine, remifentanil, and Versed. When she "apparently became ill and collapsed," she was rushed by ambulance to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain and placed on life support, then later flown to Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland and placed on a ventilator, the Chronicle-Telegram reported. After failing to respond to treatment, she was officially pronounced dead on January 3, 2011.
The office cause of death -- which was ruled accidental -- was diffuse hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy due to respiratory arrest, the coroner's report stated.
Following Marissa's death, Dr. Mazorow stopped giving intravenous sedation. He subsequently agreed to retire September 1 after consulting with the Ohio Dental Board, the Chronicle-Telegram reported.
According to court documents filed October 27, the $984,080 settlement is a "partial settlement." The estate will remain open pending a continued investigation into circumstances surrounding Marissa's death and the potential for additional litigation against other parties or entities, the Chronicle-Telegram noted.
