These days, hospitals and medical facilities in Kentucky and across the country are constantly packed with patients and filled to near capacity. Attempting to treat as many patients as possible can leave doctors and nurses overworked and exhausted. Due to high patient volumes, its not uncommon for providers to push for patients to be discharged, which can lead to medical malpractice.
A lawsuit filed in another stated alleged that providers ignored troubling signs and wrongly discharged a patient, leading to her death. According to the lawsuit, the woman visited the emergency room with breathing troubles, kidney failure and complications from diabetes. Allegedly, providers gave her a narcotic and released her. The lawsuit said the woman went into cardiac arrest and died while in the waiting area right after being discharged.
The family alleged that there were clear signs that the woman was experiencing heart failure, but her providers chose to ignore the signs. Medical tests showed that the woman’s blood sugar level was dangerously high, and a chest X-ray along with other tests showed clear evidence of a life-threatening disease, the family claimed. Reportedly, the lawsuit was recently settled with the plaintiffs receiving a total of $3.8 million.
Tragically, this scenario is becoming too common these days, as hospitals and providers rush to see more patients. Successful medical treatment takes time, and all possibilities must be taken into account. Any deviation from the acceptable standard of care can be disastrous for patients. Kentucky families who have been affected by medical malpractice may want to consider discussions with an experienced legal representative.