Failure to recognize patient’s adverse reaction to heparin results in brain hemorrhage, $44.1 million medical malpractice verdict.
Heparin is a common anticoagulant medication – a blood thinner. This widely used, injectable medication usually holds little risk for patients, but when doctors at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania failed to detect one patient’s adverse reaction to it, the patient suffered a serious brain hemorrhage.
A Philadelphia jury recently awarded a $44.1 million verdict in this case, finding the hospital 65% at fault and the patient’s doctor 35% at fault. The doctor administered the heparin after treating the patient for a benign brain tumor, but the hemorrhage induced by the adverse reaction to the heparin left the patient paralyzed.
Medical negligence is the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. Diederich Healthcare's "2013 Medical Malpractice Payout Analysis" also reveals that 31% of all medical malpractice claims involve patient death and 19% involve a significant permanent injury.
Domina Law Group’s experience in the field of medical malpractice includes two landmark cases, Yoder v. Cotton and Scott v. Khan. If you would like to learn more about those cases, click here.
If you or a loved one was harmed by what you believe to be medical negligence, we invite you to contact Domina Law Group for a review of your case. Our Nebraska medical malpractice lawyers are here to evaluate your case and inform you of your legal rights and options.
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