Catherine Henry Lawyers’ health law team has settled our client’s claim for a large sum after she suffered from the unnecessary administration of Gentamicin whilst in hospital.
What is Gentamicin?
Gentamicin is a powerful antibiotic for fighting infection that belongs to a class of drugs called aminoglycosides. But its devastating side effects are well known to medical professionals, which include being toxic to the ear and destructive to the kidneys.
It is also well known that risk factors such as advanced age and ear problems – which applied to our client – make the chances of adverse reaction more likely and the antibiotic unsuitable.
Gentamicin leaves our client a “vestibular cripple”
After cardiac surgery, our client noticed changes in her balance which escalated to the point where she could no longer walk without keeling over. Her weight plummeted to just forty kilograms due to persistent feelings of dizziness and nausea which prevented her from eating.
Whilst in hospital having the surgery, she was given Gentamicin despite there being no evidence of infection.
The antibiotic caused our client to develop ototoxicity (toxic damage to the inner ear and bilateral vestibular damage. One medical assessment described her as a ‘vestibular cripple’.
Our case for compensation
We argued that, not only did our client exhibit factors which made the use of Gentamicin for preventative purposes unwarranted, another drug she was given, Cephazolin, provided adequate antibiotic cover with no risk of ototoxicity.
The administration of Gentamicin was immaterial and unnecessary. Gentamicin exposed our client to the foreseeable and well recognised risk of ototoxicity, which irreversibly damaged her quality of life.
Before our client’s surgery, she lived an active and independent life. She was able to travel to and from engagements and attend church. Since the unnecessary administration of this drug, she is housebound due to blurred vision, loss of balance, dizziness, vertigo, and depression. She needs ongoing care and further medical treatment.
The hospital breached its duty of care to our client by administering an ill-suited antibiotic without consideration to her circumstances.
We were able to settle at mediation for a large sum.
Let us fight for you or your loved one
If you or a loved one have experienced the dire side effects of Gentamicin or poor medical treatment at the hands of a medical practitioner, please get in touch with one of our caring, expert, health lawyers about the options available to you.
Taking legal action can also help change health care practices and hold health care professionals to account so other people do not to have experience what you went through.
