Silver Golub & Teitell Files Lawsuit in Death of Bridgeport Pastor Yves Abichet

April 3, 2025

Silver Golub & Teitell has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the estate of Rev. Yves Abichet, who died of sepsis after doctors at Bridgeport Hospital perforated his bladder while trying to place a urinary catheter and failed to recognize and adequately treat the resulting injuries.

Rev. Abichet, who served as a pastor for more than 20 years at Word of Life Church of God and at Zion Church of God, both in Bridgeport, was treated at the hospital in November 2023 for replacement of a suprapubic catheter, a device to drain urine from the bladder that is inserted through an incision in the abdomen. Two days later, he returned to the hospital because of blood in the catheter bag and complaining of persistent abdominal pain. A CT scan showed that the replacement catheter had passed through the bladder and terminated in the abdomen, where a hematoma that measured up to 15 cm had formed, indicating that the catheter was misplaced and perforated through the bladder itself.

According to the lawsuit, doctors at the hospital caused the bladder perforation by improperly placing the suprapubic catheter through the bladder initially, and then failed to remove the misplaced catheter or address the bladder injury and resulting hematoma, causing his condition to worsen over the next month during his admission at the hospital ultimately leading to his death. Rev. Abichet, 55, died in the hospital on December 24, 2023.

“The doctors who treated Yves Abichet were negligent on so many fronts. They perforated his bladder while inserting the catheter, which should have been routine, they didn’t realize what they had done, and when they did, they didn’t take definitive action to correct their error,” said Silver Golub & Teitell partner Ernie Teitell, who represents the estate of Rev. Abichet along with SGT partner Marco Allocca. “There were many opportunities to intervene and save his life, and the doctors missed all of them,” Mr. Teitell said.

The lawsuit seeks damages for Rev. Abichet’s death, as well as for the pain and suffering he underwent leading up to his death. The defendants are Bridgeport Hospital, and the affiliated entities Yale New Haven Health Services Corp., Yale University and Northeast Medical Group Inc.

The case is Yvency Abichet v. Bridgeport Hospital, No. FBT-CV25-6145067-S, in Connecticut Superior Court, Bridgeport Judicial District.

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