Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Settled Over Kidney Thrown In Trash

There is no denying that hospital negligence can take many forms. Misdiagnosis, delayed medical assistance, emergency room errors, and surgical errors happen too often. Even so, it was surprising to hear about a patient who woke up after a procedure only to learn that a nurse accidentally threw away the organ that she was meant to receive.

What Happened During This Malpractice Case?

That is what happened to one woman whose family has recently settled a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital where this situation occurred in 2012.

The then-24-year-old woman went into surgery expecting to receive a kidney that had been donated by her brother, but woke up to be told that she had not undergone surgery after all because a nurse had accidentally disposed of her brother’s viable kidney. The woman eventually received another kidney that was not as good of a match as her brother’s, and the alternative kidney is not expected to last as long.

The situation caused loss and damage to the patient’s entire family, including her brother, whose kidney was discarded. Now the hospital and family have reached a settlement in the lawsuit, in which the family will receive $650,000 in damages to be divided among them. The hospital has also temporarily halted its live kidney donation program and fired one nurse who was involved. Another nurse retired after the incident.

Connecticut residents who find themselves in the unfortunate position of having been the victim of medical malpractice may be entitled to receive financial compensation. Medical malpractice law is complicated,however, so it is a good idea to seek the help of an attorney when contemplating legal action in this area.

Source: ctpost.com, “Ohio family settles over kidney thrown in trash,” John Seewer, May 29, 2014