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Blood Transfusion Error
Millions of blood transfusions take place every year. In fact, around 20% of all people checking into hospitals require transfusions. Unfortunately, not all of these procedures go smoothly and at least 13 people a year die from preventable blood transfusion injuries. These transfusions can go wrong in a number of different ways. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed due to a blood transfusion injury, it is important to discuss your legal options with an experienced Chicago medical malpractice attorney.
When people donate blood, their blood is tested to ensure it is free from diseases and then categorized according to their blood type. When someone receives a blood transfusion, the medical staff must test their blood type to ensure they use the right type during the transfusion. The staff will mix the person’s blood with the donated blood to ensure they are compatible together. Only then will they enter the needle into the vein and begin slowly adding blood to the recipient’s bloodstream. While the blood is being transferred, the medical team will be expected to closely monitor the patient for any adverse reactions and stop the transfusion if they see these symptoms. With all these steps necessary to properly perform a blood transfusion, it is only logical that the process does go wrong on occasion. Your Chicago medical malpractice lawyer can help you discover who is responsible for your blood transfusion injury.
If someone has a disease in their blood, the blood bank should have properly disposed of the person’s sample. The blood bank also should have properly tested the person’s blood type and properly categorized it and labeled it for use in the hospital. Your Chicago medical malpractice lawyer can help you discover if the processes went wrong at this early stage and take action if it was the fault of the blood bank.
Once the blood is properly categorized, labeled and transferred to the hospital, it must be refrigerated and kept free of contaminants. If the blood becomes tainted in any way, this may cause infections. When it comes to the actual transfusion, if the hospital workers fail to test the recipient’s blood type and ensure it is compatible with the donated blood, serious complications may occur. Other problems may arise if the blood is added to the body outside of a vein, if the recipient receives too much blood, if the blood enters the body too fast, or if the needle is not sanitary, the victim could suffer. The results of these mistakes can be injury, infection, illness or death.
If you or a loved one was harmed or killed by a blood transfusion, speak with a skilled Chicago medical malpractice attorney.
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The above is not legal advice. That can only come from a qualified Chicago attorney who is familiar with all the facts and circumstances of a particular, specific case and the relevant law. See Terms of Use.
