A Louisiana woman who went into the hospital for a back injury ended up dying. Her family believes that inadequate care led to her death. They have filed a lawsuit alleging hospital negligence.
The woman’s family says that she was in good health when she went to the hospital for pain in her lower back. After doctors conducted their examination and tests, it was determined that she had fractured her back. Accordingly, she was admitted to the hospital.
After two days in the hospital, the woman would not eat and complained that she was experiencing severe pain. Doctors placed her on a liquid diet, but it did not improve her condition. In fact, she had to be placed on a ventilator. On more than one occasion, she had to be resuscitated.
She also had a dialysis line, and at 1:30 a.m., it came out. At 11:30 a.m., her doctor told the family that the line would not be reinserted because of her deteriorating condition. Three days later, she passed away. According to her family, she died of aspiration pneumonia, an inflamed gallbladder and septic shock. The medical malpractice suit alleges that doctors at the hospital failed to diagnose, treat and assess the victim.
Whether hospital negligence was the reason this family lost their loved one will ultimately be determined by a Louisiana court. Anytime doctors, nurses and other hospital staff fail to meet the accepted standard of care, the injured party — or the family of a person who dies — retains the right to file a medical malpractice claim against the party or parties deemed responsible. Any award of damages received could help with any future medical needs or funeral expenses in the case of death.
Source: The Louisiana Record, “Ochsner Clinic Foundation sued over patient’s death“, Kyle Barnett, March 10, 2015