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IV Errors and Medical Malpractice Claims (Part A)

A number of Illinois medical malpractice claims are related to intravenous (IV) errors, which can occur while a patient is receiving treatment or therapy through an intravenous medical procedure. An IV error can cause serious injuries and long-term sickness, or even lead to death in extreme cases.

If you've suffered injuries from an IV error as a result of a medical professional's carelessness, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can talk to you about your options for pursuing compensation in an Illinois medical malpractice claim.

Common Causes of IV Errors in Illinois

Using an IV to administer medication or medical therapy is one of the more dangerous ways to dispense treatment to a patient. There are a number of factors that lead to IV errors, but 2 of the more common situations are listed below:

• Errors in preparing IV medication - Sometimes, the proper care is not taken to ensure that separate containers are used for each type of medication. Therefore, the medication is mixed in the same container and given through a common IV. When medications are mixed, the likelihood that the medication will work to its best potential is decreased, and the risk of toxicity is increased.
• Errors in administering IV medication - When doctors or nurses are administering an IV, particularly in an emergency situation, the proper steps may be bypassed. This could jeopardize your health and safety. One of the main reasons for this error is negligence, in addition to an understaffed medical facility.

Common Types of IV Errors in Illinois

Listed below are some of the most common types of IV errors that may result in injury and the need for an Illinois medical malpractice claim:

• incorrect injection of drug;
• untimely administration of drug;
• overdose/wrong dose of drug;
• incorrect method used to give an IV medication;
• technical errors with IV valves and pumps;
• mixture of IV drugs; and
• an incorrect drug or medicine administered to a patient.

If you suspect that you've been injured as the result of a doctor or nurse's carelessness while you were undergoing an IV treatment or therapy, you should speak with a Chicago medical malpractice attorney who can talk to you about your options for an Illinois medical malpractice claim.

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