"Failure To Monitor Coumadin" Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of New Hampshire Woman

Lawsuit alleges: Elective toe surgery ends in stroke death when patient's blood thinning medication is not properly managed.

Lubin & Meyer recently filed a NH medical malpractice lawsuit involving a 70-year-old woman who passed away after suffering a massive stroke when, as the lawsuit claims, her healthcare providers failed to properly manage her Coumadin levels (blood thinning medication) when she underwent an elective toe surgery.

Attorney Nicholas Cappiello, who represents the claimant in this lawsuit, said that Coumadin dosing errors are a significant problem in healthcare. "It is a major safety issue for patients because Coumadin can be a dangerous drug if not properly monitored — when healthcare providers do not take the time to pay attention to their patients then the results can be catastrophic for the patient."

Coumadin Lawsuits

Coumadin is a drug with tremendous benefits when properly monitored and administered, but it can kill a patient when not given in the proper amounts, according to Cappiello.

"Hospitals and healthcare providers have an obligation to closely monitor patients on Coumadin, but far too often we see that they are inattentive to their patients, and the consequences are devastating." 

This lawsuit claims that the patient's cardiologist and his nursing staff failed to administer the proper blood thinning medication before her surgery and then failed to adjust her Coumadin after surgery when her lab tests showed that her blood was too thick, which put her at a significantly heightened risk for suffering a stroke.

Because they did not administer the proper dose of blood thinning medication, according to the lawsuit, the patient’s blood was allowed to clot and she ultimately suffered a massive stroke and died.

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Channel 5 Coverage of Medication Error Lawsuit

Here's the video of the Channel 5 news story related to the previous post:
Medication Error Lawsuit Against Mass General Garners Press Attention (Lubin & Meyer attorneys for the plaintiff.)

Lubin & Meyer PC - New Hampshire's Leader in Medical Malpractice Law

Medication Error Lawsuit Against Mass General Garners Press Attention

Andrew C. Meyer, Jr. medical malpractice plaintiffs attorney has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Massachusetts General Hospital and several of its doctors and nurses on behalf of the family of a 76-year-old woman who died following a medication error while she was an inpatient being treated for a minor infection after breaking her shoulder.

A Boston Globe article that carried the story on March 10, 2011 (MGH faces suit over drug error that killed woman), notes that "prescription dose errors have long been the single leading cause of fatal medication mistakes." The article states:

According to a report the hospital provided to the family, “the day nurse understood the intended dosing but made an error when entering the dose into the IV pump.’’

The report added, “This excessive medication dose was preventable and a result of a failure of systems within the hospital’s control.’’

WCVBTV Channel 5, quoted Attorney Meyer saying,

"This was a systemic failure within the hospital, within the nursing practices of the hospital and with the doctor's oversight responsibility — clear negligence on behalf of the hospital and the doctors and nurses involved."

The hospital has admitted it made mistakes and has apologized and plans to institute changes. In the Globe article, Meyer indicated he was hopeful the hospital would make changes but had no knowledge if that had happened. Said Meyer,

“As the claim proceeds, one of our goals will be to ensure that [the hospital's proposed system] changes for the protection of patients are enacted and adhered to.’’

To read more about this case, please see the Boston Globe article and the coverage of the lawsuit on TheBostonChannel.com.

Lubin & Meyer PC - New Hampshire's Leader in Medical Malpractice Law