A Bronx jury in a wrongful death case awarded $31 million to the family of an elderly woman who bled to death after allegedly receiving an incorrect heart procedure, though the award was capped at $2.9 million as part of a high-low agreement.

In 2011, Yvonne Kremer, 70, went to Montefiore Medical Center for a cardiac catheterization, but the doctor treating her, Vankeepuran Srinivas, “misread” imaging of Kremer's heart and performed a stenting procedure, said Judith Livingston of Kramer, Dillof, Livingston & Moore, who represented Kremer's estate.

Because of blockage in Kremer's coronary arteries, Livingston said, the doctor should have performed a coronary bypass.

Kremer suffered a “major arrest” during the procedure, Livingston said, and the problem was compounded when Kremer was given anti-coagulants without first checking if they were already in her system.

Kremer then began to suffer major hemorrhaging, Livingston said.

Srinivas later told Kremer's family, as well as reported in medical records, that the bleeding was caused by a broken rib that Kremer suffered while being given CPR that punctured her liver, but Livingston said an autopsy showed that she did not have a broken rib.

Additionally, Livingston said, tests showed that blockage in Kremer's arteries was “clearly visible” and thus the stenting procedure should not have been performed.

“What the defendant was left saying was that it did not exist or was not noticeable on the tests,” Livingston said.

Bronx Supreme Court Justice Donna Mills presided over the case.

James Kachadoorian, a partner at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker represented the defendants. The firm declined to comment.

A Bronx jury in a wrongful death case awarded $31 million to the family of an elderly woman who bled to death after allegedly receiving an incorrect heart procedure, though the award was capped at $2.9 million as part of a high-low agreement.

In 2011, Yvonne Kremer, 70, went to Montefiore Medical Center for a cardiac catheterization, but the doctor treating her, Vankeepuran Srinivas, “misread” imaging of Kremer's heart and performed a stenting procedure, said Judith Livingston of Kramer, Dillof, Livingston & Moore, who represented Kremer's estate.

Because of blockage in Kremer's coronary arteries, Livingston said, the doctor should have performed a coronary bypass.

Kremer suffered a “major arrest” during the procedure, Livingston said, and the problem was compounded when Kremer was given anti-coagulants without first checking if they were already in her system.

Kremer then began to suffer major hemorrhaging, Livingston said.

Srinivas later told Kremer's family, as well as reported in medical records, that the bleeding was caused by a broken rib that Kremer suffered while being given CPR that punctured her liver, but Livingston said an autopsy showed that she did not have a broken rib.

Additionally, Livingston said, tests showed that blockage in Kremer's arteries was “clearly visible” and thus the stenting procedure should not have been performed.

“What the defendant was left saying was that it did not exist or was not noticeable on the tests,” Livingston said.

Bronx Supreme Court Justice Donna Mills presided over the case.

James Kachadoorian, a partner at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker represented the defendants. The firm declined to comment.