CHICAGO, IL, May 21, 2012 (Press-News.org) Families who lose children are left devastated by their loss. While nothing can be done to bring back their loved one, families can investigate what happened, and if the death resulted from negligent medical care, a medical malpractice case can be brought.
A Chicago couple who'd faced difficulty conceiving was finally welcoming a tiny baby boy into its family. Although the baby was born 15 weeks premature, he had responded well to intensive care treatment at the local hospital. Sadly, their hope turned to sorrow when their child died six weeks after birth, the victim of a massive overdose of sodium mistakenly administered by hospital staff.
The parents recently reached an agreement with the hospital for the wrongful death of their child, accepting $8.25 million, the largest settlement ever in a case of this kind in Illinois. The large sum the hospital administrators agreed to represents the utter devastation and grief its negligence has caused a family. The parents hope that no other family will have to go through what they did, as no amount of money can bring back their son.
While medical malpractice cases may be unpleasant for the health care providers who are involved in them, the fact is they are often life-saving measures that save others from similar tragedies in the future.
In the Chicago case, the hospital issued a statement indicating that it had taken steps to improve procedures to prevent future dosage errors. In this baby's case, a pharmacy technician made a mistake typing directions into a computer program for mixing and dispensing IV fluids. As a result, the amount of sodium in the solution prepared for the baby was 60 times the amount the doctor had prescribed.
When the infant began showing signs of an overdose, a physician ordered a blood test. The test showed an elevated level of sodium after the baby began receiving the deadly fluids, but, sadly, the doctor believed the blood test was incorrect and failed to have another test performed in time to save the baby.
According to the couple's lawyer, the hospital's new safeguards to catch errors and protect patients will include having a pharmacist check and recheck every IV bag prepared in the pharmacy, to be doubly certain the label is accurate before the solution is administered. Also, doctors will take anomalies in blood tests seriously and must have another test done promptly if they think the results of the first test could be inaccurate.
The ability of modern medicine to save the lives of tiny, premature babies is miraculous, but when health care facilities themselves cause the death of one of these children, they need to be held accountable. This latest settlement should motivate medical professionals to take the right precautions and to never disregard an unexpected test result.
If your baby has been seriously harmed by negligence, contact an experienced Chicago medical malpractice attorney to discuss your options for obtaining money damages and ensuring that a similar error isn't made again.
Website: http://www.lane-lane.com/
Illinois Parents and Children Can Be Protected From Medical Malpractice
An infant recently died from an Illinois hospital's medication error. The baby's wrongful death demonstrates the need for hospitals to follow all safety precautions when providing neonatal care.
2012-05-21
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Nordic walking improves health of heart failure patients
2012-05-21
Nordic walking enables heart failure patients to exercise more intensely than walking without poles.
The research was presented at the Heart Failure Congress 2012, 19-22 May, in Belgrade, Serbia. The Congress is the main annual meeting of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology.
Aerobic exercise in patients with heart failure improves quality of life and reduces heart failure related hospitalisations. However, many heart failure patients find it difficult to exercise. In Nordic walking, people use poles and their arms copy the motions ...
Shale Plays in America: A Brief Review of the Good and Bad of Today's Oil Boom
2012-05-21
Nearly halfway through 2012 and here we have a thriving oil boom in many areas of the U.S. The oil boom is our answer, our counterpoint, in an economy that continues to struggle in the aftermath of the 2008 financial collapse. And it's not just oil. It's natural gas, too. We have technological developments in drilling to thank for unlocking reserves of oil and natural gas under shale rock formations. The technology is called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," for short, and is responsible for both the good and bad of today's oil boom.
Our Abundant Shale ...
Obese adolescents have heart damage
2012-05-21
Obese adolescents with no symptoms of heart disease already have heart damage, according to new research.
The findings were presented at the Heart Failure Congress 2012, 19-22 May, in Belgrade, Serbia. The Congress is the main annual meeting of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology.
Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and previous research has shown that obese adults have structural and functional changes to their hearts. The current study (abstract P843)
investigated the relationship between body mass index (BMI) ...
Folic acid may reduce some childhood cancers
2012-05-21
Folic acid fortification of foods may reduce the incidence of the most common type of kidney cancer and a type of brain tumors in children, finds a new study by Kimberly J. Johnson, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, and Amy Linabery, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Minnesota.
Incidence reductions were found for Wilms' tumor, a type of kidney cancer, and primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET), a type of brain cancer.
Since 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has mandated fortification of foods with ...
Report using private health claims data shows prices are driving health spending growth
2012-05-21
Washington, DC—Rising prices for care were the chief driver of health care costs for privately insured Americans in 2010, according to the first report from the newly formed Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI). The per capita spending on inpatient and outpatient facilities, professional procedures, and prescriptions drugs rose 3.3 percent in 2010 for beneficiaries under age 65 with private, employer-sponsored group insurance. HCCI data show that this 3.3 percent increase follows spending increases in 2008 (6.0%) and 2009 (5.8%).
Hospital and ambulatory care facility prices ...
Laws Banning Texting and Driving May Be Ineffective
2012-05-21
Despite the ban on use of handheld cellphones and other portable electronic devices while driving in New York, these laws may not actually contribute to improved motorist safety. In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has found that these laws have not made a difference.
In reality, bans on texting and driving may be causing more problems than they resolve. Because texting while driving is illegal, drivers often try to hide their phones in order to avoid detection -- resulting in their eyes being away from the road for even longer periods of time. ...
AAPS National Biotechnology Conference to highlight innovative vaccines
2012-05-21
ARLINGTON, VA (May 14, 2012) - Vaccination studies from Mercer University (Ga.) headline the groundbreaking research being unveiled at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists' (AAPS) National Biotechnology Conference (NBC). The conference takes place Monday, May 21 - Wednesday, May 23 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. Other topics to be discussed include diversity and complexity of vaccine manufacturing, scale-up and tech transfer strategies, applications of multi-scale systems pharmacology, and advances in novel small protein therapeutic modalities.
Development ...
Peer-to-Peer Networking and Pornography Charges
2012-05-21
A major pornography sweep by New Jersey law enforcement recently resulted in the arrest of 27 people throughout the state. They face charges of owning and sharing child pornography by downloading material through peer-to-peer networks. New Jersey's attorney general, Jeffrey Chiesa, reported that more than 100 law enforcement officers were involved in the sting, nicknamed "Operation Watchdog."
Court Ruling Equates File Sharing With Distribution
The state is developing its case based in part on a 2010 New Jersey appellate court decision that determined that ...
Get the Hottest Holiday Trends from Lipsy London at Next
2012-05-21
British fashion brand Next have launched new summer additions to their Lipsy London collections. From stylish swimwear to fabulous floral playsuits, not to mention Lipsy London's signature dresses, get all the on-trend pieces with next day delivery as standard when ordered before 9pm.*
The newly arrived Lipsy dresses include top trends of pastel metallics, placement tropical designs, scarf prints and studded embellishments in Ice Cream Parlour, Tropical Fever and Amazon Sunrise. As well as showstopping party dresses, Lipsy also have a gorgeous range of maxis, tea dress ...
PRIVATE WiFi Announces: Head to Facebook for 50% Off PRIVATE WiFi and a New iPad Giveaway
2012-05-21
Private Communications Corporation, a leading and innovative company in the security software market, is excited to announce its 50% off iPad give-away. PRIVATE WiFi Facebook fans have the opportunity to receive 50% off its flagship personal VPN software, PRIVATE WiFi.
From now until June 13, entrants can get a 6-month subscription of PRIVATE WiFi for half-off - a value of $24.95. In order for the deal to tip, 50 users must sign up. Fans are encouraged to share the deal with their friends to unlock the savings.
In addition, the company is also giving away a new iPad ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
New CRISPR test could make tuberculosis screening as simple as a mouth swab
Three-sensor overeating detection could reshape obesity treatment
Study provides first evidence that plastic nanoparticles can accumulate in the edible parts of vegetables
AI predicts complications from surgery better than doctors
New personalized risk score could improve ovarian cancer detection
People on Ozempic who eat to regulate emotions less likely to lose weight
AACR Cancer Progress Report highlights lifesaving impact of federal investments in cancer research
Indra's internet
Lymph nodes found to be key to successful cancer immunotherapy
Room-temperature terahertz device opens door to 6G networks
A hard look at geoengineering reveals global risks
When smoke signals danger: How Australian lizards evolved to escape fire
Beyond the surface: Atopic eczema linked to significantly higher risk of suicidal thoughts, major study finds
After weight loss regular exercise rather than GLP-1 weight-loss drug reduces leading cause of heart attack and strokes
EASD launches its first ever clinical practice guideline – the world’s first to focus on diabetes distress
Semaglutide provides powerful protection against diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults, Greek study suggests
Orforglipron taken orally once daily leads to significant body weight loss (ATTAIN-1 Study)
U of I researchers trace genetic code’s origins to early protein structures
Disease experts team up with Florida Museum of Natural History to create a forecast for West Nile virus
Researchers: Targeted efforts needed to stem fentanyl crisis
New UMaine research could help lower prescription drug costs
Molecular movie shows how mitochondria read their DNA
Loss of key male fertility gene leads to changes in expression of hundreds of other genes
Water’s density is key to sustainable lithium mining
Pioneering research reveals problem gambling quadruples the risk of suicide among young people four years later
New method improves the accuracy of machine-learned potentials for simulating catalysts
Astronomers discover rare Einstein cross with fifth image, revealing hidden dark matter
UCalgary researchers show brain shunts significantly benefit older adults with hydrocephalus
UCalgary researchers pursue new approach to manage deadly lung scarring
Psychotherapy can be readily integrated into brief “med-check” psychiatry visits
[Press-News.org] Illinois Parents and Children Can Be Protected From Medical MalpracticeAn infant recently died from an Illinois hospital's medication error. The baby's wrongful death demonstrates the need for hospitals to follow all safety precautions when providing neonatal care.