When Patients Suffer from Chronic Injuries
When patients suffer from chronic injuries, they need the help of medical professionals to manage their condition. Those professionals strive to ensure that the patients receive the best care possible, but that doesn’t mean that mistakes never happen. One out-of-state family suffered the loss of one of their own after treatment errors for his chronic back pain allegedly led to his demise. Connecticut families may wish to pay close attention to this case, as this situation could happen anywhere.
The patient, a middle-aged male, was experiencing constant pain in his lower back and sought treatment at a clinic. Two different physicians on multiple occasions gave him injections meant to lessen the pain. One of the last shots was a steroid shot that not only failed to relieve the pain, but the patient noticed a painful lump at the injection site. He questioned a nurse about it on one of his visits, but she said the doctor was unconcerned with it. It was soon discovered that the man had contracted meningitis.
His condition caused impotence and loss of bladder control due to the nerve damage. He took his own life before his lawsuit was adjudicated, so his surviving family took up the case. The jury sided with the man and his family, awarding them a large sum. The doctors and their clinic have announced plans to appeal the verdict.
Though this case occurred out of state, it contains valuable information for families here in Connecticut who might have a similar story. If one decides to file a civil claim for treatment errors, any monetary compensation could be used to recoup lost wages, cover medical expenses and to make up for any other costs that are incurred from injury or loss of life. No family should ever have to lose a loved one to the mistakes of healthcare providers.
Source: kmbc.com, “Jury awards nearly $3 million in malpractice case“, , April 8, 2014