Unfortunately, medication errors occur in hospitals far too often. In adult patients, these mistakes can cause a variety of problems, but in children and infants, the slightest variation from the prescribed dosage can be fatal. As medical malpractice attorneys , we see these unfortunate cases all of the time and want to remind new parents that infants are much more vulnerable when it comes to medications and need to be monitored closely.
Family Sues after Infant Dies from IV with 60 Times the Ordered Sodium Dose
Fritzie and Cameron Burkett have filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Advocate Lutheran General Hospital for the death of their 6-week-old son Genesis Burkett. On October 15, 2010 Genesis died only one month and nine days after he was born prematurely because of a preventable medication error at the hospital. The pharmacy technician incorrectly filled the doctor’s orders for the IV fluid and the boy was given “approximately 60 times the dose of sodium ordered by the physician.” Originally, the bag was labeled correctly but was relabeled, displaying an incorrect dosage. Advocate Healthcare spokeswoman Kelly Jo Golson acknowledged an “error” saying “A hospital error led to the incorrect concentration of sodium in [Genesis’s] IV solution…Our prayers continue to be with the family.”
According to the family’s medical malpractice lawyer Patrick Salvi, the parents “are devastated. They had a couple of failed pregnancies that ended in miscarriages in the early months, but this child was doing very, very well… The innocent infant died of malpractice, plain and simple. And we intend on proving it in court.”
Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia
If you or a family member has recently suffered the wrongful death of an infant or has been the victim of medical negligence, and you would like to speak to someone about your legal options please contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
A 70 year old woman who was a resident of the University Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Charlotte, North Carolina was rushed to the Carolinas Medical Center University on the morning of Sunday, August 29, 2011 with a broken pelvis and facial bruise. When the family asked the nursing home what caused the injuries, they told her that the elderly woman had fallen, but emergency room staff at the hospital said that the injuries were not consistent with a fall. This led the family to believe the woman had been assaulted. They alerted the Police and Department of Social Services, an entity that handles allegations of elder abuse, and both began an investigation into what really happened to the woman.
Lea Marie Hughes, 36, was arrested for vulnerable adult abuse of the 64-year-old woman that she had been caring for. Hughes, her boyfriend, and her two children moved into the home of the victim five years ago so Hughes could begin caring for the woman who has 
52-year-old Lynda S. Hutcheson is being accused of 
Pierce’s son, David Blackmon, attempted to file a complaint in Sevier County Circuit Court but defense attorneys claimed that the action had to go through arbitration due to forms that Blackmon signed while his mother was at the nursing home. The appellate court affirmed the lower court’s ruling in favor of the woman’s son. Judge Rex Ogle, the lower court judge, found that the center failed to provide Blackmon with copies of the forms that he signed, a major mistake according to bed sore attorneys. The Judge noted “it troubles the court that anybody who requires someone to sign legal documents affecting the rights of patients would not give those people copies, executed copies. That makes no sense to me.” Lawyers say that the Judge continued by stating “the execution of the agreement, the way it was handled, it was very shoddy. And I think that quite candidly is unconscionable, that it does shock the conscience of this court by how this entire agreement was handled they should not be enforced.”
At all points in life, we face the threat of being abused; abused physically, emotionally, or even financially. Our 
The older you get the higher your chances of being taken advantage of become. Individuals that have a hard time performing everyday tasks, getting around by themselves, or who suffer from Dementia or Alzheimer’s are most often the victims of financial abuse. Parents who have children who live far away from them or each other are also at a higher risk. One sibling can misuse the parents’ assets without the others finding out.
Orchard-Post Acute Care in Whittier has been fined $75,000 and given a “AA” citation from the state of California for the death of a 78-year-old patient in 2008. The man, who suffered from Alzheimer’s and was recovering from a stroke, was admitted to the facility in July of 2008. Nursing home staff inserted a feeding tube into the man’s abdomen, as is often necessary for Alzheimer’s and Dimentia patients who may forget to eat or become aggressive at meal times. Soon after, the man began complaining of abdominal pain and was taken to the emergency room. While in the hospital, the doctors discovered that his feeding tube was inserted incorrectly, causing an inflamed abdomen lining, labored breathing, and septic shock. The man underwent an operation and was placed on a ventilator, but died six days later.
After an investigation by the state of Nevada, the Las Vegas Home Sweet Home had its license revoked and was forced to close in August. All of the residents were removed and placed in different facilities.