Baltimore Kidney Dialysis Errors Lawyer
Chronic kidney disease is a very serious condition that millions of Americans suffer from. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), kidney disease is the tenth leading cause of death in the country. Still, not everyone that suffers from kidney disease requires dialysis. This treatment only becomes necessary when a person has been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease, or kidney failure.
Dialysis essentially allows a machine to operate as an individual’s kidneys. Blood is pumped out of the body and circulates through the machine, where all the toxins are taken out of it. The blood is then pumped back into the system. Most of the time, dialysis progresses without any problems occurring. Unfortunately, Baltimore kidney dialysis errors do occur and when that is the case, patients suffer serious injuries.
Common Kidney Dialysis Errors
A number of mistakes could occur when a person is receiving kidney dialysis. Some of the most common are as follows:
- Dialysate error, or an inappropriate use of acid concentrate in the machine
- Contaminated lines of machinery which cause infections
- Dialyzer errors
- Leaks in the dialysis machine
- Failure to clear cleaning solutions from dialysis machines
- Prolonged bleeding or excess blood loss
- Improper responses to machine alarms
- Failing to monitor vital signs, such as blood pressure
- Medication mistakes
- Faulty machine alarms
- negligent filtering and cleaning of water systems
- Vascular access-related events
- Patient falls
The above errors are usually the result of negligence, or carelessness, on the part of hospital or clinic staff members. When that is the case, it constitutes medical malpractice and injured individuals can file a claim against the medical professional that harmed them.
Injuries Resulting from Kidney Dialysis Errors
Kidney disease causes injury on its own, and it is hard to diagnose. As such, identifying medical malpractice caused by a kidney dialysis error is not easy. It is important all patients receiving kidney dialysis understand the most common injuries that this malpractice causes. The most common of these are as follows:
- Cramping: It is not uncommon for people to develop cramping towards the end of the dialysis session. This is very painful and could restrict movement if it is not properly addressed.
- Hypoxemia: Hypoxemia affects 90 percent of dialysis patients. The condition refers to a lack of oxygen in the blood and if it is left untreated, it could result in wrongful death.
- Hypotension: Also known as low blood sugar, hypotension occurs because the blood was too filtered and a person’s cardiovascular system was not fully refilled. Hypotension can cause dizziness or loss of balance, causing the patient to fall and become further injured.
Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Baltimore Can Help After a Kidney Dialysis Error
If you have suffered due to a kidney dialysis error, our Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers can help you claim the full settlement you deserve. At Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC, our knowledgeable attorneys can advise you of your legal options and help you claim the fair compensation you are entitled to. Call us today at 410.567.0800 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
