Jury Awards $5.1 Million After Surgical Errors In Sinus Surgery

On behalf of Hastings Law Firm P.C. posted in Surgical Mistake Attorney in Texas on Wednesday, July 29, 2015.

Texas residents, similar to those in other states, commonly expect the knowledge and experience of surgical teams to prevail during surgical procedures. Unfortunately, surgical errors are not as uncommon as we would like them to be. A jury recently awarded a woman damages to the value of $5.1 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit in another state. The claim followed a surgical procedure in 2010.

According to the court documents, the plaintiff was scheduled for sinus surgery, and the doctor apparently intended using a decongestant to control bleeding during the procedure. A nurse allegedly poured the decongestant into a bowl and failed to label it. Another member of the surgical team was tasked with preparing an injection of a drug to be administered to bring about local anesthesia to the plaintiff’s septum. This person mistook the contents of the unmarked bowl for the required drug and filled the syringe with it.

The doctor administered the wrong drug to the plaintiff, who experienced an abrupt drop in her heart rate. Rescue medication was provided by the anesthesiologist and, realizing the error, the doctor allegedly injected the correct local anesthetic drug and continued with the procedure. This resulted in the plaintiff’s blood pressure and heart rate spiking, leading to cardiac arrest.

The patient miraculously survived this incident, but claims to have suffered cardiac and brain damage that was caused by oxygen deprivation. Further claimed impairments include, speech, vision, balance, and other consequences of brain damage. The jury apportioned liability between the medical center and the surgeon. Texas residents who have been victims of surgical errors may take similar legal action. However, medical malpractice is a complicated area of the law, and the support and guidance of an experienced medical malpractice attorney may be invaluable.

The sick and ill should be treated with the utmost care. Any time an error involving a medical professional or medical facility is  suspected, a Texas resident should reach out to an experienced lawyer for to determine if negligence occurred. With their main offices in Houston Texas, the medical injury attorneys at Hastings Law Firm can help Texans across the state get justice.

Source: outpatientsurgery.net, “Unlabeled Meds Lead to $5.1M Verdict”, David Bernard, July 24, 2015