Careless administration of medications can have severe consequences for patients in Illinois. These range from allergic reactions to drug interactions, overdose and death. A woman and her child in another state recently received a $20 million jury award in a medical malpractice case after her husband died due to improper drug administration.
Events leading up to the medical malpractice incident
The medical malpractice incident occurred when the woman took her 54-year-old husband to an emergency room to receive treatment for acute pancreatitis. The woman’s attorney stated that the man’s doctor ordered 27 opioid doses for him. over a 28-hour period without investigating his history. The lawyer said the doctor never asked the man if he suffered from sleep apnea.
The doctor also did not require the man to be placed on a monitoring device. It was therefore unclear when the man stopped breathing, leading to brain damage. The man was removed from life support in one week. The woman’s lawyer said the doctor did not adhere to the medical field’s care standard, leaving his family irreparably damaged.
How an attorney can help
Individuals who have lost loved ones due to alleged medical malpractice may want to contact an attorney as soon as possible. An attorney in Illinois can help a surviving loved one determine if he or she has a medical malpractice case due to a medical provider’s negligence. The attorney will explain his or her client’s rights and likelihood of winning in court considering the facts surrounding the case.