North Adams Medical Malpractice Law Blog

Significant strides in fertility assistance have occurred in the last 40 years, making it possible for many men and women in Massachusetts and across the country to become parents when they could not on their own. Sadly, thousands of patients seeking fertility help were affected by a hospital freezer malfunction earlier this year, resulting in significant personal loss. Some patients have filed lawsuits claiming the malfunction was medical negligence. 

Some patients choose to pursue in vitro fertilization when they cannot conceive a child. It is expensive and often the last opportunity to have a biological child. In the process eggs and embryos are often frozen for future pregnancy attempts. For thousands of patients in another state, many suffered the loss of their eggs and embryos this past March when a hospital freezer malfunctioned, destroying approximately 4,000 eggs and embryos.

Significant advances in the medical field have been made to aid physicians in making quick and accurate diagnoses of patients. Blood tests, radiology tests, ultrasound technology and others all help add to the data that physicians need to make a correct diagnosis of a patient. When patients in Massachusetts suffer from some sort of heart disease, stroke, blood clot or sepsis, a timely diagnosis is vital to the outcome of a patient's health. One family recently settled a wrongful death lawsuit, claiming that a hospital and emergency room physician failed to diagnose man's pending cardiac arrest.

The 47-year-old man was a father of two sons and is also survived by his mother. Reportedly, symptoms of chest pain, headache and shortness of breath were significant enough for him to make a visit to an emergency room. No details of his treatment or recommended follow-up treatment were reported. He was released to home.

Every day in Massachusetts and across the country, thousands of people undergo surgeries and other medical procedures. Doctors, surgeons and other medical personnel are entrusted with the care of these patients. Although most procedures are fairly common and routine, mistakes can be made any time humans are involved. When mistakes are made during medical procedures, the patient unfortunately suffers the consequences. Medical malpractice is one of the leading causes of death and injury in the United States.

A 17 year-old girl in another state was recently awarded $135 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit after a procedure left her with permanent injuries. According to the lawsuit, the girl underwent a surgical procedure to correct the curvature of her spine. In this procedure, the lawsuit said a doctor placed rods along her spine which were supposed to relieve compression in her spinal cord.

Medical tests are a supposed to be the key to discovering a diagnosis or determine a health problem, not be the end of a life. Unfortunately, many medical tests have some risks associated with their completion, but they are typically rare. Sadly, one woman in another state lost her life while undergoing a CT scan. Massachusetts's families may be interested in the family's recent civil court victory following their claim for medical negligence.

The family filed a lawsuit in civil court following the death of the 40-year-old mother. The woman consented to have a CT scan performed for a health condition that was not reported. As with some tests, an intravenous dye was required in order for the radiologist to obtain an accurate scan. It occurs rarely, but the woman suffered an allergic reaction to the contrast dye. The reaction resulted in anaphylactic shock, which is life-threatening.