Indianapolis Brain Bleed Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Physicians prescribe medications to help patients manage a variety of medical conditions. Patients place their trust in healthcare professionals to properly prescribe medications that will improve their quality of life. When a healthcare professional fails to properly prescribe a medication to a patient, the result can have a devastating impact on the health of a patient or lead to death.
Blood thinners are often prescribed to patients who have certain types of heart disease or are at a higher risk for developing dangerous clots, which could lead to stroke or other serious illness. Some well-known names of blood thinner medications include Coumadin, Pradaxa, Xarelto, and Eliquis.
Healthcare professionals should take special care when treating patients who have been prescribed blood thinners in order to avoid serious injury to the patient. Failure to properly prescribe blood thinners to a patient or failing to properly monitor a patient’s health on blood thinners prior to treating them can lead to medical malpractice.
Summary of a case involving excessive blood thinners causing a brain bleed
Doctors and healthcare professionals perform a prothrombin time (PT) test to evaluate a patient’s ability to appropriately form blood clots. An international normalized ratio (INR) is a calculation based on the results of a PT that is used to monitor a patient. In a case where a woman was on Coumadin, her INR testing revealed that her INR was over 9.0, a critical test value.
Coumadin is a blood thinner used in patients who have had blood clots in their legs or who have artificial heart valves to prevent strokes, DVT’s or pulmonary emboli.
INR tests are done to make sure the blood is not too thin or is not coagulating properly. Neither the home care nurses or her doctor reacted to the test to stop Coumadin immediately and institute Vitamin K to reduce the anticoagulation of the Coumadin. The patient suffered a significant brain bleed and had to undergo brain surgery to survive. Case settled for significant amount.
Indiana medical malpractice attorneys
If a healthcare professional fails to provide a duty of care to a patient under their supervision, an Indiana medical malpractice claim is a legal option that a person can seek to recover compensation for their damages.
If you or someone you care about was seriously injured due to a medical professional making a medication error or failing to properly diagnose a health condition, contact us. The Indianapolis, IN medical malpractice attorneys at Cohen & Malad, LLP have litigated cases originating from Muncie, Tipton, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Bloomington, Lafayette, and other areas across Indiana and can discuss your claim and inform you of your legal rights and options.