Can a hospital or doctor be held liable for a chemotherapy overdose resulting in death?

Chemotherapy is designed to treat cancer cells.  Unfortunately, it often affects part of your body not directly affected by the cancer itself.  This undesired result is referred to as a complication of treatment or an adverse side effect.  This can include:

• Severe pain
• Diarrhea and constipation
• Mouth sores
• Hair loss
• Nausea and vomiting
• Blood-related side effects

Some of these blood-related conditions are very serious and can leave a patient vulnerable to infection.  Others can cause a low platelet count, which can lead to excessive bleeding and even death.

Deaths can occur because the chemotherapy dose is increased too quickly.  In some cases, a pump can give the wrong amount of the chemotherapy drug.  Sometimes a doctor’s illegible handwritten prescription may be responsible a lethal chemotherapy overdose.  Hospitals and physicians have obligations to give accurate and complete information to the patients about chemotherapy drugs.  

Talk to medical malpractice attorney who can assist you in filing a malpractice case against the people responsible for your mother’s wrongful death.