Expecting mothers in Illinois may want to pay attention to a case that has made headlines in another state. A state senator is being sued due to an alleged medical malpractice case in July 2013. According to court documents, this doctor was in charge when a woman’s labor was induced. Delivery mistakes were made that caused the woman to develop a MRSA infection. She was treated for the infection and sent home under the care of a separate home health care facility.
During treatment at the hospital, the delivery doctor ordered that an IV tube be inserted into the woman. This was so the home health services company could administer the two prescribed antibiotics. A skilled nurse should have been administering the drugs.
However, the home health nurses taught the patient’s husband how to do the procedure instead of doing it herself. The two drugs were Gentamicin and Cefotan. During this period, there were no tests done to check the levels of the Gentamicin.
This became a problem as the patient acquired Gentamicin toxicity. This caused, according to the documents, severe pain and even mental anguish. The results were that she had to suffer through extensive medical evaluations and treatments. She claims that she was permanently injured due to the errors.
In this case, the doctor is being accused of negligence for the delivery mistakes and for allowing the mistreatment afterwards, including not checking the Gentamicin levels. The home health center is also being sued for its part in her injuries and pain. Illinois patients who feel they have been wronged when it comes to child birth and delivery mistakes could speak to an attorney who can help that patient file a civil suit for damages and medical expenses.
Source: waff.com, “North Alabama senator sued for medical malpractice“, Marshall Stephens, June 12, 2015
