Latvian Television has already reported on 31-year-old Alīna Ansoni, who was found unconscious after an unfortunate fall. The medic called to the scene, Vaits, decided not to take the victim to hospital. When he finally did, it was too late. The woman had already suffered brain death.
The Court of First Instance sentenced Vaits to a year’s suspended prison sentence and a four-year ban from practising medicine. This was appealed by both a senior prosecutor and Alīna’s family.
“What we asked for in our appeal was not to apply that suspended sentence when the prosecution asked for two years’ imprisonment. That was probably the difference, because the prosecution saw another aggravating circumstance,” said Sandra Heidingere, the victim’s legal representative.
The court of second instance has now handed down a one-year real prison sentence and a four-year ban on medical treatment. White only partially pleaded guilty at first instance and nothing has changed at second instance.
Liene Cipule, Director of the NMPD, said that what happened was unprecedented. It was not a medical error, but a negligent attitude, according to Cipule. Vaits was dismissed immediately.
The verdict of the Regional Court of Zemgale can still be appealed within 10 days.
Neither the Latvian Medical Association nor the Health Inspectorate has a record of how many cases have resulted in a doctor being sentenced to a real prison term.
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