Contaminated shot leads to Louisiana medical malpractice suit

Patients receive injections every day. Most of the time, these injections make them feel better. However, it is sometimes the case that injections are recalled because they can potentially cause harm. For one Louisiana woman, that recall notice came too late. As a result of receiving a contaminated injection, she has filed a medical malpractice and products liability lawsuit against her doctor and the manufacturer of the drug.

The lawsuit states that the plaintiff received the injection in Dec. 2012 after complaining to her doctor about body aches, nasal congestion, coughing and fatigue. She was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection, and a shot of DepoMedrol was administered to treat her illness. The plaintiff alleges that the injection site became swollen and painful. When she asked the doctor about it, he purportedly told her that the pain was normal and there were no signs of infection.

In July 2013, the woman claims that she received a recall letter informing her that the drug was contaminated. The complaint states that she needed to have an infectious mass removed from the injection site in Oct. 2013. According to the plaintiff, the growth resulted from the injection. The woman seeks unspecified damages for physical and emotional pain, medical expenses and mental anguish.

Fortunately, situations like this are uncommon. However, if a patient has suffered needlessly as a result of medical malpractice or a defective drug, he or she may wish to look at options for filing a personal injury claim in Louisiana civil court. Such a claim, if successful, may help compensate the plaintiff for medical expenses, physical pain and other damages.

Source: The Louisiana Record, Manufacturer of medicine and group of doctors sued by patient who received allegedly contaminated injection, Kyle Barnett, Jan. 15, 2014