Epidural Injection Medical Malpractice in Portland, Oregon

Understanding Your Rights After Epidural Injection Medical Malpractice in Portland, Oregon

 

Epidural injections are used for a variety of reasons. The administration of the injection itself is typically a very routine procedure. Often times, epidural injections are administered to patients experiencing significant pain in their neck, legs, lumbar region or back. The goal of administration is to relieve pain. Sometimes the pain is relieved temporarily while other times it is relived permanently. In most cases, these are quite effective with minimal side effects.  While epidural injections are very helpful, a victim of epidural injection medical malpractice in Portland, Oregon could suffer serious personal injuries or even catastrophic disability.

 

This is a rare side effect because most medical providers do a great job with epidural injections and the relief for a patient is phenomenal.  However, there are instances in which healthcare providers are negligent and fail to perform this procedure in a safe manner. This can lead to very serious complications. Our Oregon medical malpractice lawyers understand just how serious and avoidable these complications can be and are prepared to review your case for FREE today to determine if medical malpractice played a part in your epidural injection complication. 

 

The Most Common Place for Epidurals

 

While there are many different appropriate times or places for this type of injection, the most obvious type of injection and time for it is during childbirth.  That is when most people come into contact with this type of injection. Even though epidurals could be used with other types of surgeries, injuries, rehabilitation, trauma, and other means.  But having a baby is generally the first place and the most often time that people will get this type of medical procedure.

 

In fact, most people may only hear of or know of an epidural as a result of childbirth or from an OB-GYN.  This is just because it is the most common place for this type of procedure to be done.  That means that families are already nervous and anxious, sometimes even downright fearful because that is a normal range of emotions during childbirth.

 

But that means that it is given electively, meaning that it is given with the consent of a patient and at the time when the patient chooses to get it—or at least in most instances when a person is having a baby.  This is because having a baby is not a medically necessarily event like it would be for something like trauma when a patient has no choice, or during a surgery to treat cancer.

 

Some people may question whether they could sue for negligence if they are having an elective procedure and are harmed by a doctor’s errors. The answer is absolutely yes, because a doctor’s conduct and a healthcare provider’s conduct always is required to comply with the standard of care.  The failure to do so is medical malpractice no matter if the procedure is by choice or medical necessity to safe a life.

 

Who Should Never Receive An Epidural Injection?  Contradictions Leading to Epidural Injection Medical Malpractice in Portland

 

There are certain conditions and settings in which a person should never receive an epidural steroid injection. In medicine, this is known as a contraindication.  This means that a condition is not properly or does not work with another condition or situation in the body.  The example if mixing a blood thinner for a patient with a brain bleed.  That means that the brain bleed could get worse.  

 

Some of these contraindications of an epidural injection include the following: 

 

• Active system infection
• Hypersensitivity or allergy to corticosteroid, anesthetic or contrast
• Active malignancy at the site of injection
• Uncontrolled diabetes (if using a corticosteroid)
• Congestive heart failure
• Bleeding diathesis

 

Complications of Epidural Injections Medical Malpractice in Portland Due To Preventable Errors

 

Complications generally speaking should never happen. While the occasional complication is unavoidable, there are many instances in which a complication is caused due to negligence on behalf of the provider. Complications can include the following:

 

• Nerve damage – This can be caused by negligent administration of the injection which can cause permanent nerve damage
• Epidural abscess – This type of infection occurs in the space between the bones of the skull or spine and lining of the brain. This type of infection can be quite serious.
• Infection
• Increased pain
• Dural puncture – This occurs when the surgeon fails to properly insert the needle. Instead, he or she punctures the dura. This causes a leak in cerebrospinal fluid, often leading to a severe headache (post dural puncture headache) which can require additional treatment such as blood patches to resolve.
• Complete paralysis
• Partial paralysis
• Spinal cord infarction – This serious complication can lead to complete paralysis. This complication is commonly referred to as a stroke within the spinal cord or arteries that supply the spinal cord. 
• Neuropathy
• Respiratory arrest
• Arachnoiditis – arachnoiditis can be caused by a puncture of the dura, infection or hemorrhage. 
• Needle breaking during injection – this is quite serious and can happen when the needle is placed too deep into the skin or the person performing the injection making a change in needle position while having the introducer not properly met with the needle. Additional causes can include a catheter breaking while withdrawing the needs or rough contact between the bone and epidural needle. A needle breaking can cause severe pain, nerve damage, epidural abscesses, epidural hematomas, osteomyelitis  and other spinal injuries. This complication should never happen. Failure to identify this complication has occurred can lead to even more significant complications. 
• Overdosing with medication used in epidural administration
• Failure to respond to anaphylactic reaction – failure to identify and treat an anaphylactic reaction can lead to death. 

 

How Can Epidural Injections Be Caused By Negligence in Portland, Oregon?

 

Complications due to medical malpractice can be due to a variety of reasons, including:

 

• Improper administration of the injection
• Administration when an epidural injection is contraindication
• Injection into the blood vessel which can cause paralysis or neurological issues
• Injection directly into the spinal cord
• Injecting the needle too far into membrane that surrounds the spinal cord, causing arachnoiditis 

 

How Can Our Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers Help You?

 

Epidural steroid injection complications should almost never happen. This is because most of these complications are entirely avoidable. At the hands of a surgeon, one small mistake can mean a lifetime of effects. Patients can become paralyzed, suffer more pain, or even experience respiratory arrest if the procedure is not done appropriately. 

 

If you or your loved one suffered a complication from an epidural injection, we encourage you to call our office today to determine if negligence played a part in you or your loved one’s epidural injection complication. If due to medical malpractice, you may be eligible for compensation. Compensation may include:

 

• Pain and suffering, including past pain and suffering (date of injury to date of settlement/award) or future pain and suffering (date of settlement/award until estimated date of natural death)
• Lost wages from missing work due to appointments, the accident, disability, or other factors related to the accident
• Lost future wages
• Rehabilitation coverage
• Assistive device coverage
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy coverage
• Past, present and future medical bills
• Punitive damages for gross negligence and significant medical malpractice 
• Wrongful death, including burial expenses or funeral costs
• Loss of consortium with family members, particularly spouses and children, and
• Other serious injuries or damages due to medical malpractice in Oregon.

 

Ask Our Portland, Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers for Help with Epidural Injection Medical Malpractice in Portland 

 

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.

 

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.

 

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.