Personal Injury Law

Victim Awarded $1.5 Million in Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

A medical malpractice victim was awarded a $1.5 million settlement for the pain and suffering he incurred at the hands of hospital employees. This man was originally suffering from diabetes and chronic pancreatic pain when he sought the aide of hospital employees. He was admitted to the hospital where he sought treatment for complications from his pancreatic disease in 2005. Court documents show that a nurse inserted an IV containing the drug Phenargen for anti nausea and inserted Demerol for pain. She inserted the IV into the patient?s wrist. When medical personnel checked on his condition an hour later he appeared to be in good condition. However, approximately 9 hours after the IV was inserted the site appeared to be ?painful and swollen.? Forty five minutes after that the needle needed to be removed.

LawyersandSettlements.com is reporting that the man was then transported to a different hospital where he immediately underwent surgery on his wrist. The surgeons, however, were unable to save the victim?s thumb. The victim had to endure multiple additional surgeries in order to save his hand. A medical investigation concluded that the nurses had allowed the drugs to infiltrate the tissue surrounding the IV needle. To read more about this medical malpractice case, please click the link.

This type of medical error, one that leaves the patient without the use of appendages, has become all too common. The Chicago medical malpractice lawyers at Levin & Perconti settled a medical malpractice case where a premature baby lost her finger in the same manner, through the improper insertion of IV drugs. Please contact a Chicago medical malpractice attorney if you believe you have been a victim of medical malpractice.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on April 15, 2010 (boomark / email).