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Special Edition Legal Case Study
Healthcare Professionals and Medical Malpractice: A Case Study with Risk Management Strategies
Medical malpractice claims can be asserted against any healthcare provider. Although there may be a perception that physicians are held responsible for the majority of lawsuits, the reality is that healthcare professionals, including physical therapists, pharmacists and counselors are more frequently finding themselves defending the care they provide.
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Case Study: Improper Full Spinal Deep Thrusts This case involves a physical therapist working in a private practice setting. In this case, the patient was a 5'2", 156 lb, 54-year-old woman, who underwent a hysterectomy and afterwards began to experience low back pain. Five months after surgery the patient sought treatment for her back pain with an orthopedic surgeon who believed she was suffering from degenerative problems and prescribed physical therapy... Read the Full Case with Risk Management Recommendations |
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Read Previous Issues of the HPSO Special Edition Legal Case Study: Physical Therapist Edition |
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Case Study: Poisoning From Incorrect Anti-Fungal Medication In this case, the insured pharmacist received an order for the plaintiff to receive intravenous Amphotericin Lipid Complex. The insured pharmacist incorrectly supplied Amphotericin B. The co-defendant pharmacy technician produced the correct labels but placed them on the incorrectly selected medication... Read the Full Case with Risk Management Recommendations |
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Read Previous Issues of the HPSO Special Edition Legal Case Study: Pharmacist Edition |
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Case Study: Alleged Slanderous Statements by the Defendant Regarding the Plaintiff and Alleged Improper Reporting of Privileged Health Information to the Plaintiff's Employer The plaintiff was a 52 year old practicing physician when he was court-ordered via the state's professional resource network (PRN) to see the defendant counselor for assessment following an arrest for suspected driving under the influence (DUI)... Read the Full Case with Risk Management Recommendations |
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Read Previous Issues of the HPSO Special Edition Legal Case Study: Counselors Edition |
February 2010 Legal Case Study |
| Fall During Leg Lift Exercises Causes Ankle Fracture - $125,000 Verdict. |
The plaintiff, age forty-three, was receiving physical therapy in March 2006. During leg lift exercises the plaintiff fell and broke her ankle. The plaintiff required surgical placement of a plate and a second surgery the following year due to non-union. At the time of the incident the plaintiff was recovering from the onset of Guillian-Barre syndrome. She had been on the rehabilitation floor of the hospital for three weeks to strengthen her muscles and prepare for discharge. The plaintiff claimed that she was exercised past the point of exhaustion and that the exercise should have been stopped before she fell. The plaintiff also claimed that she should have been given an ankle brace before she started her exercises. The defendant argued that the plaintiff had done the same exercises before without a brace and had not experienced any problems. According to a published account a $125,000 verdict was returned. With permission from Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts; Lewis Laska, Editor, 901 Church St., Nashville, TN 37203-3411, 1-800-298-6288. |
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Recently Posted Legal Case Studies
| DESCRIPTION | |
|---|---|
| Failure to Diagnose Ectopic Pregnancy - Loss of Fallopian Tube - Defense Verdict. | |
| Failure to Diagnose Ectopic Pregnancy - Loss of Fallopian Tube - Defense Verdict. | |
| Exercise Ball Collapses, Causing Man to Fall - L4-5 Disc Injury Necessitates Surgery - $250,000 Verdict. | |
| Man Claims Fall During Stair Training Following Lumbar Fusion - Physical Therapist Claims Date Alleged Was Wrong and Fall Didn't Happen - Defense Verdict. | |
| Illiterate Man Claims Prescriptions For Another Person Were Given to Him - Alleges Hospitalization and Kidney Failure From Medications - Pharmacy Claims He Indicated He was Supposed to Pick Up the Medication for the Other Patient - Defense Verdict. | |
| Man Claims Continuous Passive Motion Machine Brought to Home for Physical Therapy Was Not Assembled Properly, Causing Injury - Defense Verdict. | |
| Failure of Paramedic to Immediately Use Defibrillation When Man Suffers Ventricular Fibrillation During Transport - $195,000 Settlement With Ambulance Service - $80,000 Net Verdict at Trial. | |
| Neurologist, Hospital and Pharmacist All Blamed for Child’s Death From Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis After Being Prescribed Lamictal - Claims Prescription Was Improper and Excessive and Rash Was Not Properly Investigated - $1.55 Million Settlement. | |
| Woman Dispensed Wrong Pills for Coumadin Prescription Resulting in Stroke - Speech and Right-Side Weakness Necessitate Move to Nursing Home - $374,400 Net Verdict. | |
| Femur Fracture Blamed on Fall During Physical Therapy - Defendant Claims Fracture Was Spontaneous - Defense Verdict. | |
| Failure to Perform Timely Stress Test and Properly Evaluate Man With Chest Pain - Death - Confidenti | |
| Tramadol Filled With Avinza - Death - $750,000 Settlement. |
