Massachusetts Malpractice Lawsuit Filed Over Medication Error

|
Staff Writers

Add Your Comments

A medical malpractice lawsuit has been filed against a Massachusetts hospital that has admitted to giving a woman a lethal dose of blood thinner medication. 

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed last month by the family of Geraldine Oswald, who died in November 2010 from a Lepirudin overdose at Massachusetts General Hospital. The hospital has admitted that a medication mistake led to Oswald, 76, receiving 30 times the recommended dosage.

The complaint, filed in Suffolk Superior Court on March 10, alleges Oswald went to the hospital to have an infection treated. A nurse entered the wrong dosage into an automated IV, causing the blood thinner overdose. Oswald bled internally over a 12-hour period in Massachusetts General Hospital before dying.

Do You Know about…

Spinal Cord Stimulator lawsuits

Spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are being investigated for individuals who suffered unnecessary shocks, burns or other problems, often resulting in the need for additional surgery to remove the SCS.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION
Spinal-Cord-Stimulation-Lawsuit
Spinal-Cord-Stimulation-Lawsuit

Do You Know About…

Spinal Cord Stimulator lawsuits

Spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are being investigated for individuals who suffered unnecessary shocks, burns or other problems, often resulting in the need for additional surgery to remove the SCS.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION

The lawsuit was filed against the hospital, five of its doctors and two nurses. It charges the hospital with negligence that led to Oswald’s death.

Following the incident, the hospital released a statement saying that it acknowledged the mistake, apologized to the family and was making changes in its procedures to prevent similar accidents in the future. Included among the procedural changes will be how doctors approve and check drug infusions.

The state health department is still investigating the circumstances of Oswald’s death.

The family says that the lawsuit’s intent is to force changes that guarantee similar mistakes will not be repeated.

Lepirudin is a generic name for Refludan, a Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. drug which was approved by the FDA in 1998 for use as a blood thinner.

Tags: Blood Thinner, Hospital, Infection, Massachusetts, Overdose, Refludan, Wrongful Death
Image Credit: |

More Lawsuit Stories

0 Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Share Your Comments

This field is hidden when viewing the form
I authorize the above comments be posted on this page
Post Comment
Weekly Digest Opt-In

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

MORE TOP STORIES

Class Action Lawsuit Claims FanDuel, DraftKings Sportsbooks Cause Serious Economic Harm for Users
FanDuel and DraftKings face a sportsbook class action lawsuit alleging they intentionally promote their sites in a way that causes severe economic and emotional harm.
Lawsuit Alleges Suboxone Dental Damage Warnings Were Issued Too Late
The makers of Suboxone continue to face lawsuits claiming that use of the opioid treatment film strips can cause severe dental damage.
Nevro Stimulator Lawsuit Alleges SCS Lead Failure Caused Nerve Damage
A spinal cord stimulator lawsuit filed against Nevro Corporation claims two of its implants have failed in a man’s back, leaving him with nerve damage and increasing pain.