You might think you are safe at a doctor’s office. However, this is not always the case.
This past summer, a jury awarded $29.5 million dollars to the family of an Iowa woman in a medical malpractice case. Tragically, the woman died from an allergic reaction to contrast dye during a CT scan three years ago.
Unfortunately, this situation could have been easily avoided. According to a recent article, the doctors failed to check the woman’s vital signs and did not administer the correct medication when they noticed she went into anaphylactic shock.
The family’s attorney told reporters that while the family is grateful for the verdict, they remain devastated. The jury awarded the family the following damages:
- $1.5 million for the woman’s pain before she died
- $5.5 million to each of the woman’s four children for losing their mother
- $6 million to the woman’s husband for losing his wife
The family hopes that the large award will prevent doctors from making similar mistakes in the future. According to U.S. News & World Report, medical mistakes are becoming a major problem in the United States. The Report stated 250,000 people die from medical errors each year in the United States. They are now in the top three causes of death among Americans.
Mistakes can be made by doctors, nurses or any medical staff that comes into contact with a patient. Commonly, medical errors occur with surgeries, birth injuries, medications or prescriptions. Even if you are going in for a routine procedure, make sure to disclose your allergies and anything else you think might be important. You never know what might save your life.