South Carolina Child Injury Lawyer Blog

While the days of pharmacists actually producing most of the medications we take are over, some dosage forms can only be made in pharmacies. This is especially true for liquid medications, when pharmacists have to prepare IV bags or make the liquid equivalent of a drug that usually comes in pill or capsule form. Such reconstituting can be error-prone, and pharmacists who mix or compound medication incorrectly can be liable for negligence, possibly even when a pharmacy technician incorrectly types information into a field on a screen. And, thus, when medical and pharmacy errors stemming from health information technology end up causing patient injuries and death, the entire system of digital medical communications is called into question.

For example, just last week a Chicago area hospital, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, agreed to pay $8.25 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought against it by the parents of an infant boy who died after a series of medical errors initially triggered by an incorrectly compounded IV bag. The boy was born four months premature in 2010 and remained in the hospital's care for the next six weeks. Then, suddenly, the infant boy died after coming out of a heart operation without any clear complications from the operation itself.

The hospital determined that a pharmacy technician unwittingly entered information into a computer program when processing an electronic IV order for the infant, resulting in a massive sodium chloride overdose in the bag’s solution. The infant received 60 times the amount of sodium chloride prescribed by a physician. It was also found that the automated alerts in the IV compounding machine responsible for identifying such problems were not activated at the time when the customized bag was prepared for the infant. Additionally, the hospital discovered that the outermost label on the IV bag did not accurately reflect the compound's actual contents, and when a blood test on the infant showed an abnormally high level of sodium, a lab technician mistook the reading for an inaccuracy.

Continue reading "Pharmacy Error Leads to Series of Medical Miscues, Wrongful Infant Death and Criticism of Health Information Systems " »

In general, when it comes to medical malpractice, most people think of lawsuits against doctors, surgeons, and hospitals accused of providing improper, or negligent, medical care. But most do not consider a significant health service provider that is crucial to a patient's overall health and care—the pharmacist. Like any medical service provider, pharmacists have an important duty to ensure each and every patient receives the correct medications and is thoroughly informed on proper use of the prescribed drugs. All the information on a drug's potential side effects and interactions with other medications, as well as access to the patient's complete treatment history, essentially makes the pharmacist is the last of defense in making sure a prescription drug is administered safely and correctly.

Two recent lawsuits in Washington State allege that a pharmacy administered dosages of prescription seizure medication that were well in excess of their normal amount, putting two children in danger of losing their lives. According to one of the lawsuits, the pharmacy allegedly dispensed the medication in a single pre-filled syringe, eight times stronger than prescribed to the now 13-year-old boy. After taking the medication, the boy, significantly overdosed, became dizzy and unresponsive. He spent four days in the hospital hallucinating, according to his mother, who was terrified the incident may have residual damages to her son's overall health.

In 2011 the boy's prescription was changed to pills as opposed to the previously prescribed injections, but again, using the same pharmacy, he was administered the wrong dosage. This time receiving 600 mg pills when prescribed 300 mg pills. The family's suit claims this particular pharmacy "poses an imminent public health danger by repeatedly mis-filing prescriptions."

Continue reading "Charleston Accident Lawyers at Howell and Christmas, LLC Discuss Pharmacy Errors" »

The Charleston prescription drug injury lawyers found that according to a study conducted by the Medical University of South Carolina, doctors and pharmacists may be giving babies and toddlers overdoses of prescription painkillers, says an article in yesterday's Post and Courier. The research was done by the Division of General Pediatrics at MUSC, and they hope the study's findings will lead to more cautious and possibly automatic drug dispensing. The division will now study whether these overdoes led to any harm or serious child injuries.

The research, which was presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Denver, studied South Carolina Medicaid records (from 2000 to 2006) of the top 19 narcotic-containing drugs prescribed to newborns up to age 3.

The findings were as follows. 4.1 percent of actual prescriptions were overdoses. About 40 percent of overdose prescriptions were dispensed to babies 2 months old and younger, and only 3 percent of prescriptions for children older than a year. Of all the overdose prescriptions, the amount of narcotic drug dispensed was an average of 42 percent more than expected.

The study assumed each child's weight was in the 97th percentile for his/her weight. The MUSC Division of General Pediatrics' research was done using a four-year, $508,000 federal grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

According to the Director of MUSC's Division of General Pediatrics, narcotics (codeine and hydrocodone) are prescribed to babies as a cough suppressant and painkiller, but these can be dangerous to youngsters because of their sedative effects. These effects increases the risk of dehydration because infants and toddler do not wake up enough to eat and drink while under the influence of these drugs. Severe side effects of narcotics on babies and toddler could lead to breathing problems and death.

Continue reading "MUSC Study Has Alarming Findings on Babies and Toddlers" »

South Carolina injury attorneys came across this troubling case that involves a medical malpractice suit filed against the United States after two deliveries were botched at two different military hospitals that resulted in the death of one child and left the other permanantly disabled. If the plaintiffs in these cases are successful the U.S. Government could potentially pay out a combined sum of over $20 million to the parents of the two children.

Last week a wrongful death lawsuit led to a U.S. District Senior Judge awarding $10.2 million to the family of a child born at the U.S. Naval Hospital down in Jacksonville. The child survived the delivery, but was left with severe brain damage due to the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. At the age of three the severe brain injuries culminated in a fatal seizure.

Continue reading "Delivery Mistakes at Military Hospitals Lead to Wrongful Death, Permanent Brain Damage, and Federal Pay Outs" »

While undergoing an angioplasty, a common procedure to improve blood flow by inflating a synthetic balloon to expand a blood vessel in the heart, a two-year-old boy lost brain functions and his ability to see, speak, and walk. South Carolina injury lawyers note that the cause of thechild's brain injuries and permanent loss of routine abilities was due to a blood vessel tearing. The tear occured on the right side of the child's heart that led to internal bleeding and ultimately the boy's disabilities.

Investigating the Seattle Children's hospital February surgery is Washington's Department of Health. The investigation started this past Tuesday, three months after the boy's family hired an experienced injury lawyer and sent a request to the state agency to look into the hospital and doctor's account of the operation.

Continue reading "South Carolina Injury Attorneys Take Note of a Child's Brain Injury Incurred at Seattle Hospital" »

We live in an age where good hygiene and healthy living are a near obsession. While much talk has been put forth about fixing the state of health care insurance, little attention has been given to the physical aspects of the industry.A recent report put out by the Food and Drug Administration suggests that problems inherent with medical devices and products combined with their misuse by medical professionals is causing harm to 70,000 children annually in the US. Specifically, these problems have been found in several areas, but those areas are ones that could possibly cause the greatest harm.

The most common injuries can result from common household items like contacts. If not kept properly clean, potentially debilitating eye infections can result. In other areas though, improper use of these products can cause great harm. Cited in the study as some of the most common problem areas found were "include puncture wounds from hypodermic needles breaking off in the skin while injecting medicine or illegal drugs; infections in young children with ear tubes; and skin tears from pelvic devices used during gynecological exams in teen girls." Unfamiliarity with the product being used by medical professionals could be one potential cause of injury in some of these cases. The study was the first ever to be conducted about the rate of device only injuries in Children.

The report cites particular concern with treatment that is administered at home, unsupervised by medical professionals. It states "The most serious problems involved implanted devices such as brain shunts for kids with hydrocephalus (water on the brain); chest catheters for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at home; and insulin pumps for diabetics. Infections and overdoses are among problems associated with these devices." One of the doctors who reviewed the study had this to say "Health care providers need to be aware of these kids and their devices and how to recognize or diagnose" related problems, Krug said". Dr. Steven Krug, head of emergency medicine at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital. The researchers determined their findings by analyzing medical records from ER visits reported in a national injury surveillance system. They were able to estimate that 144,799 medical device-related complications occurred during 2004 and 2005, or more than 70,000 yearly.

Charleston Child Medical Malpractice Attorneys want to make the public aware of this study as it highlights potential dangers that could occur to a large segment of the population that is dealing with a loved one or dependent who is sick or injured. Proper education on the medical product being used and a good choice of competent medical personal will lower the risks involved for the caregivers.

Source: The State, "Medical device problems hurt 70,000+ kids annually",By Lindsey Tanner, July 27th, 2010