PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Stacey Waner is holding tight to memories of her brother, Trevor Synder. For families like hers, Thursday's Senate decision marks a milestone as House Bill 6017 heads to the governor's desk.
We first told you about Trevor Snyder back in 2019. His family believes he died due to medical negligence.
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"Had the hospital done its job, he would be here," Waner said.
Waner said Trevor was admitted to the hospital with a broken leg after a motorcycle crash and died days later.
"He was an otherwise healthy kid, and he shouldn’t have died from a broken leg," Waner said. "There's no reason for it."
Waner is encouraged that state lawmakers approved House Bill 6017, which would remove a 35-year-old law known as Florida's Wrongful Death Act.
The current law prevents loved ones of anyone above the age of 25 without a spouse and without children from suing for medical malpractice on behalf of their loved one.
"Our family was not able to file any sort of claim with the courts because of the, I call it a loophole, in the Wrongful Death law," Waner said.
She believes changing the law would lead to stronger accountability in the medical field. It's a chapter she hopes to close and a promise she made to Trevor years ago.
"I promised him when I saw him last time at the funeral that I would fight for justice and I would not stop until I got justice for him," Waner said.
