Maria Mercedes, who Jorge viewed as his second mother, was subjected to a carotid endarterectomy procedure. The surgeon who operated her failed to take the necessary pre-operative precautions in light of her pre-existing conditions, such as discontinuing dual antiplatelet therapy. To make matters worse, after the operation, she was neglected at the hospital and did not receive proper care from intensive care unit personnel and nursing personnel. This resulted in the late detection of a hematoma complication which required another surgery and caused other problems that resulted in the untimely death of Maria Mercedes. The firm filed a case in federal court for Jorge’s emotional pain and suffering and another in state court for Evelyn, Maria’s daughter.