Fatal Medication Error: Ordinary Negligence or Professional Malpractice?
The nurse mistakenly administered 120 milligrams of morphine to the wrong patient.
All articles by Ann W. Latner, JD
No Cap on Damages in a Medical Battery Case, Says CA Court
Prior to the procedure, Mr K filled out 2 surgical consent forms, both describing the intended procedure as “local excision of a scrotal mass, possible cystoscopy.”
Physician Overlooks MRI, Then Claims Chiropractor Patient Should Have Read It
This month we look at a case where a jury was asked to hold a patient partially responsible for his own injury based on the fact that he had some medical background.
Physician Sued After Patient Develops Cardiomyopathy From Prescribed Medication
This month we look at a case where the jury ultimately decided for the defendant physician who was sued by a former patient after she developed cardiomyopathy from a medication prescribed by the physician.
Lawsuits in the Time of COVID-19: An Overview
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic currently sweeping across the United States is a public health emergency that has had an unprecedented effect on healthcare workers.
Patient’s Death Leads to Lawsuit After Physician Fails to Check Creatinine Level Before Infusing Drug
The month’s case involves a lawsuit against 2 healthcare professionals, a primary care physician and a rheumatologist. The patient, Mrs X, was a postmenopausal woman in her early 50’s. The mother of 3 adult children who had successfully worked for 15 years until her scleroderma made it increasingly difficult to type on a computer.
Is a Doctor-Patient Relationship a Necessary Element for a Claim of Medical Malpractice?
This month we look at a case of first impression from Minnesota. A “case of first impression” means that the case addresses issues that the courts of that state had not examined before, making it particularly interesting. The case arose out of an interaction between employees of 2 different Minnesota health systems. The patient, 54-year-old…
Multiple Medical Errors Lead to College Student’s Death
A test for Factor V Leiden was positive for 1 copy of the Factor V Leiden mutation. The test results were returned to Dr H’s office, where they were reviewed and incorrectly interpreted as being all normal.
Drug Toxicity or Surgical Complication: Tonsillectomies End in Tragedy
The plaintiff’s experts testified that the twins’ genetic abnormality was not the cause of the respiratory depression, but rather a complication of the surgery.
Large Verdict Awarded to Patient After Unnecessary Surgery
The examination of the removed prostate revealed no cancer, it was subsequently discovered that the original tissue sample had been mixed up with that of a patient who had prostate cancer.
