On March 20, 2002, the plaintiffs' decedent Linda Lindburg, 61, an event coordinator/lecturer, was admitted to the defendant hospital and underwent a cardiac catheterization, which revealed three-vessel coronary artery disease with moderately severe aortic stenosis. Roe Dr. 1 recommended a coronary artery bypass graft, along with a valve replacement as a result of these findings. On March 21, Lindburg underwent a quadruple bypass and aortic valve replacement. Roe Dr. 1 performed the procedure and Roe Dr. 2 was the anesthesiologist. The surgery went well and Lindburg was transferred to the recovery room in stable condition at 2:10 p.m.

While still in the recovery room, at approximately 3:50 p.m., Lindburg began experiencing heart attack symptoms and went into an arrhythmia and she suffered cardiopulmonary arrest. Cardiac pulmonary resuscitation and cardiac medications were administered. The defendant doctors responded to the code, along with various hospital personnel. At some time during this event, Lindburg's treating cardiologist was called to come in and assist. When he arrived in the recovery room at approximately 4:06 p.m., he immediately applied paddles and administered cardio shock, which reestablished a cardiac rhythm. Lindburg was subsequently returned to the operating room and underwent an additional double coronary artery bypass. Due to the extended period of time it took the doctors and hospital personnel to reestablish a cardiac rhythm, Lindburg suffered hypoxic encephalopathy, rendering her comatose. She remained at the hospital for an additional fourteen days until April 4, when she was transferred to a local hospice. On April 13, Lindburg died in their care. Lindburg's husband, Donald, and her five adult children sued the defendant hospital and the two defendant doctors, alleging medical malpractice and wrongful death.