Doctors and nurses handle a lot when they’re working in a hospital. They’re constantly juggling a large number of patients with many different ailments ranging from routine to life-threatening cases. While medical advances have come a long way in improving the safety of patients during surgeries, with every surgery, routine or not, there’s a risk of something going wrong and causing a more serious issue.
An unfortunate example is when a three-year-old girl suffered severe brain damage during a routine root canal surgery in Hawaii. She needed six fillings and four root canals, but during the procedure she became unresponsive and suffered severe brain damage, which led to a “persistent vegetative state,” according to the girl’s pediatric neurologist. About a month later, she died from her injuries at a hospice. Since then, her parents have filed a lawsuit alleging that the dentist was negligent and performed in a manner of dangerous conduct. The suit alleges that the dentist administered an inappropriate dosage amount to their daughter.
In another case, a man recently discovered that his stepfather’s chest cavity was left open on the surgical table because the cardiologist walked out part way during the surgery to attend a luncheon. An assistant was left to close up, but he wasn’t qualified to complete the procedure on his own and unfortunately the patient inherited severe consequences. The patient went into cardiac arrest and the surgeon drove back from the luncheon, but by then it was too late. The stepfather remains in a vegetative state after undergoing surgery for a heart defect. His family has filed a lawsuit against the medical center, the surgeon and the medical group that the surgeon is a part of. Since then, the medical center has added stricter operating-room procedures to mitigate the similar problems.
Recently, Brampton’s William Osler Health Centre settled a lawsuit with a Mississauga family for $21 million if their daughter lives to 85. The family’s daughter was left with severe brain damage after her parents brought her to the hospital and she was originally diagnosed with bronchitis, according to court documents quoted in the Toronto Star. The doctors later switched their diagnosis to pneumonia or sepsis, but overtime her condition worsened. Her heart stopped at least four times over a few hours and while she survived, she suffered severe brain damage. She requires care for the rest of her life and the 13-year-old has the mental capability of a six-year-old. She has a high risk of experiencing a seizure and parts of her fingers fell off due to circulation issues. The hospital has denied negligence or neglect and maintains that they “provided reasonable care ‘consistent with accepted hospital standards,'” says a Toronto Star article.
Unfortunately, mistakes happen in hospitals and when they do, they have far-reaching consequences. Some common malpractice claims include from misdiagnosis or a delayed diagnosis for serious health issues, such as cancer, says a recent study conducted by an Ireland Medical School in Dublin. Drug errors are another common reason and the federal government hopes a new bill, Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act or Vanessa’s Law, will protect Canadians from adverse reactions and unsafe products. Complications during birth can also lead to irreparable damage to the new child or the mother.
The personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers have been handling all types of injuries for over 40 years including injuries from negligent medical workers. We understand the impacts injuries can have on your life and we know how to help you. Call us at 416-920-4242. Set up a free consultation and come talk with us.