The Smithson Trial

About the Book

Each reader of this story is required to become a member of the jury in a wrongful death action brought by the parents of the deceased.  The boy's death that resulted in this law suit was a high school senior and an up and coming basketball star. 

The boy was brought to the local community hospital by his father, and the father expected to take his son home after just a few hours, but the boy never left the hospital alive; he expired during an emergency surgical procedure.

The reader will hear the testimonies of the defendants as they respond to the questions posed by the prosecuting attorney, as well as the cross examinations by the defendants' attorneys.  They will also be given some insight into the biases and pre-conceived notions that some of the other jury members bring to the trial.

Finally, the reader will be asked to arrive at a verdict, and determine the financial awards, if any, to be given to the plaintiffs.

About the Author

The author is a former hospital administrator and has worked  in both community and  university-based hospitals.  He has more than twenty five years of experience in that field. 

The author's years of experience have provided him with great insight regarding the interactions between hospital-based physicans and hospital boards of trustees, and the difficult situations that can arise from those relationships.

Mr. Dignam is also a certified public accountant and lecturer at Indiana University South Bend, in Indiana.  This is the fourth book written and published that Mr. Dignam has authored.