Medication Error: Morphine Overdose May Lead To Lawsuit

On behalf of Hastings Law Firm P.C. posted in Medical Malpractice Attorney in Houston for Medication Prescribing on Tuesday, October 13, 2015.

Patients in hospitals and nursing homes are always vulnerable and trust medical personnel to provide care to an acceptable standard. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a life to be lost due to a medication error or other form of nursing negligence. A family in another state is considering legal action against a nursing home and a nurse who is believed to have caused their elderly mother’s death.

It was reported that six senior residents of a nursing home were rushed to a hospital in February of last year. They were all found to have morphine in their systems, but the only fatality from a morphine overdose was that of the family’s 98-year-old mother. It was determined that the nurse who allegedly administered the morphine was the only nurse who was on duty on the evening when the incident occurred.

The family further alleges negligence by the facility allowing the nurse, who had only completed a limited number of shifts at the facility, to be on duty by herself. Furthermore, her nurse’s license had expired, and it is claimed that she had not been adequately trained. The nurse denied involvement in administering the morphine in a video deposition.

The deceased woman’s daughter contends that she wants to see that someone is held accountable for her mother’s death. Any Texas family who believes that a loved one’s death in a hospital or nursing home was caused by a medication error or other form of medical negligence may pursue litigation to seek recovery of end-of-life and other documented financial losses. Our Houston medical malpractice law office is here to help. Navigating such a lawsuit and obtaining the necessary evidence of negligence may be difficult and the services of an experienced medical malpractice attorney may be invaluable.

Source: CBS Chicago, “Family Of Nursing Home Resident Who Died From Morphine Overdose To File Lawsuit”, Dorothy Tucker, Oct. 6, 2015