A number of Illinois medical malpractice claims are related to intravenous (IV) errors, which can occur while a patient is receiving treatment or therapy through an intravenous medical procedure. An IV error can cause serious injuries and long-term sickness, or even lead to death in extreme cases.
If you’ve suffered injuries from an IV error as a result of a medical professional’s carelessness, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can talk to you about your options for pursuing compensation in an Illinois medical malpractice claim.
Common Causes of IV Errors in Illinois
Using an IV to administer medication or medical therapy is one of the more dangerous ways to dispense treatment to a patient. There are a number of factors that lead to IV errors, but 2 of the more common situations are listed below:
- Errors in preparing IV medication – Sometimes, the proper care is not taken to ensure that separate containers are used for each type of medication. Therefore, the medication is mixed in the same container and given through a common IV. When medications are mixed, the likelihood that the medication will work to its best potential is decreased, and the risk of toxicity is increased.
- Errors in administering IV medication – When doctors or nurses are administering an IV, particularly in an emergency situation, the proper steps may be bypassed. This could jeopardize your health and safety. One of the main reasons for this error is negligence, in addition to an understaffed medical facility.
Common Types of IV Errors in Illinois Listed below are some of the most common types of IV errors that may result in injury and the need for an Illinois medical malpractice claim:
- incorrect injection of drug;
- untimely administration of drug;
- overdose/wrong dose of drug;
- incorrect method used to give an IV medication;
- technical errors with IV valves and pumps;
- mixture of IV drugs; and
- an incorrect drug or medicine administered to a patient.
If you suspect that you’ve been injured as the result of a doctor or nurse’s carelessness while you were undergoing an IV treatment or therapy, you should speak with a Chicago medical malpractice attorney who can talk to you about your options for an Illinois medical malpractice claim.
An IV error is a surprisingly common type of medical negligence in Illinois. It can result in serious injuries or even death in the most severe cases. A Chicago medical malpractice attorney can examine the details of your case to determine whether medical negligence played a part in the IV errors that caused your injury.
Injury From IV Errors: Extravasation Injury
There are various bodily injuries that you may suffer as the result of an IV error. Of those potential injuries, an extravasation injury is among the more serious. An extravasation injury takes place near an IV injection region and may be caused by an incorrect injection or by fluid leaking near the site.
An extravasation injury can arise after an IV medical procedure and may lead to devastating consequences if not properly diagnosed. A medical professional’s failure to diagnose and treat this injury in a reasonable timeframe can lead to further complications and injury. Such a scenario may result in the need to file an Illinois medical malpractice claim.
Failure to properly diagnosis an extravasation injury may lead to:
- loss of limb;
- need for amputation;
- disability; and/or
- disfigurement.
If you have suffered a life-long injury as the result of an extravasation injury, or any type of IV error, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can talk to you about your options for pursuing an Illinois medical malpractice claim. You may be eligible for compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Hiring a Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorney
Pursuing an Illinois medical malpractice claim based on an IV error-or any type of medical negligence, for that matter-is never an easy task. Doctors and hospitals are prepared to aggressively fight against medical malpractice claims, and as such, have employed an arsenal of seasoned legal defense experts.
If you believe you have been injured as a result of a medical professional’s negligent actions, you should not be left to face the consequences on your own. An experienced Chicago medical malpractice attorney can evaluate your medical malpractice case, assess damages, and help prove negligence. Contact us today at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle for a no cost case evaluation – 312-263-1080.
