Hospital sued in Dwight White's death

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Negligence by a Pittsburgh hospital led to the 2008 death of former Steelers player Dwight White, a lawsuit alleges.

A lawyer representing White's family filed suit Monday against University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian Hospital, UPMC Health System and three UPMC doctors alleging negligence and miscommunication led to the famed defensive end's death, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

The newspaper said family lawyer Art Schwarzwaelder claims White was healthy before he had back surgery May 12, 2008. He died less than a month later at age 58, the attorney said.

The suit claims White's condition after the operation worsened until his wife took him to an emergency room, where he was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, or a blood clot in the lung. He died shortly after being transferred to the intensive care unit at UPMC Presbyterian.

White, who was a key part of the Steelers' legendary Steel Curtain defense, played with the team from 1971 to 1980, helping to produce four Super Bowl championships. The Post-Gazette said at the time of his death, he was the senior managing director of public finance for Mesirow Financial's Pittsburgh office.