The Dangers of Bad Blood Transfusions Potential Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
There are a number of life saving reasons why a person may need a blood transfusion. It could be the result of an auto accident or a potentially fatal disease. A blood transfusion when done correctly offers excellent prospects for recovery but when something goes wrong it can be a deadly medical mistake.
The most common problem associated with a blood transfusion is using the wrong blood type for the patient. Most hospitals and blood centers go to great lengths to make sure that a mix up cannot occur but unfortunately it still can happen. When the wrong blood type is used, the resulting reaction can lead to kidney damage and death. Patients receiving transfusions should be monitored very closely during the transfusion for signs of rejection.
Other dangers associated with blood transfusions include the risk of picking up a disease from the blood that is being transfused. Blood banks screen blood for hepatitis and AIDS on a regular basis but it is still possible that it can be missed. The Red Cross insists that the blood supply is safer than it has ever been but the screening process is not perfect. The Centers for Disease Control has done a study backing up the Red Crosss statement, "while the risk of getting AIDS from a transfusion is not zero, this study corroborates other CDC research and published data indicating that the risk is extremely low."
There are a number of examples of medical malpractice lawsuits filed because of problems related to a blood transfusion. It is the responsibility of the hospital and blood bank to make sure that samples are properly cross matched so that mistakes do not occur. If there is a mistake, that does open the door to legal action. Malpractice lawsuits are based on the negligent act of a medical professional or a failure to act to properly protect the patient.
If you have questions about bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit, you should consult a skilled attorney in this area of the law. Hospitals and physicians have teams of attorneys under retainer to handle malpractice claims and you should be wise to be represented by legal counsel as well.
To learn more about your legal entitlements, it is important to speak with a skilled Sacramento medical malpractice attorney, Sacramento auto accident attorneys, and skilled Sacramento personal injury attorneys for more information.