Brain-Injured Boy Awarded $1.1 million after Medical Error

A young boy was awarded $1.1 million because he suffered a brain injury after a sleep apnea surgery. According to PennLive.com, the brain damage the boy suffered could be permanent and irreversible. The boy went in for a sleep apnea procedure in 2007 when he was 11 months old. He had been tested for the condition and doctors found that he was experiencing episodes about 50 times every hour, which was affecting his blood oxygen levels. Doctors suggested removing the boy’s tonsils and adenoids and recommended ear tubes. The lawsuit says the doctors should have been aware that his low blood oxygen levels put him at risk for surgical complications. After the procedure the boy was experiencing breathing problems and had to stay in a recovery room for five hours.
The medical malpractice lawsuit says the doctor did not adequately examine the boy after the procedure and allowed him to stay in a regular room instead of the intensive care unit. It also says the doctor did not use proper machines to monitor the young boy’s blood oxygen levels. At one point, the boy was not breathing and did not have a pulse and he had to be resuscitated. An MRI showed that the lack of oxygen caused brain damage.
Medical Errors
According to the Institute of Medicine, preventable medical errors kill as many as 98,000 Americans every year, and injure many more. If the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were to include preventable medical errors as a category, it would be the sixth leading cause of death in America, according to the American Association for Justice.
Medical Malpractice Claims
Medical negligence is when a doctor or other medical professional fails to exercise due care in their treatment of a patient. This includes errors that are made during surgery, patient diagnosis or after care. Victims of medical negligence may be entitled to compensation such as lost wages and benefits, past and future pain and suffering, hospitalization costs, physical therapy, etc. Families of victims who died because of a medical error may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
If you or a loved one has been injured in as a result of medical negligence, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can provide you with more information about pursuing your legal rights. Our firm has recovered many millions of dollars for victims of medical negligence. Please call our offices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: PennLive.com