The family of a 12-year-old boy that died from a staph infection is going to sue the city of New York with a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit.
Omar Rivera’s mother, Aileen Rivera, says she will sue the city because doctors at Kings County Hospital Center misdiagnosed his illness. Omar Rivera died on October 14 at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center.
His mother had taken the 7th grader to the hospital because she wasn’t satisfied with the care that he was getting at a clinic, which belongs to New York City’s public hospital system.
She says that the doctor at Kings County Hospital Center misdiagnosed Omar’s illness—identifying it as an allergic reaction rather than an infection. Because of this misdiagnosis, no tests were ordered. Omar was given Benadryl for his skin lesions. Omar died of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a kind of bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics, such as methicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, and oxacillin.
Symptoms can include boils or pimples. MRSA can cause infections in different areas of the body. Although most cases of MRSA are not fatal, some cases can lead to death.
Wrong Diagnosis
Misdiagnosing a patient can be a serious problem—especially if the wrong diagnosis results in the patient sustaining injuries, becoming more ill, or dying. A wrong diagnosis can cause doctors to give a patient the wrong medication or treatment. A sick person may have to undergo more serious treatment or surgery if his/her condition worsens because the correct diagnosis wasn’t made in time. A person’s chances of survival could decrease with a misdiagnosis.
Mother Plans $25M Lawsuit After Son Dies From Staph Infection, Fox News, October 30, 2007
Family to sue for $25 million over boy’s staph death, CNN.com, October 30, 2007
Understanding MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus), WebMD
Related Web Resource:
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), CDC
If you or someone you love was misdiagnosed by a doctor or another health care provider in Maryland or Washington DC, you should speak with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer immediately.
At Lebowitz & Mzhen, our Washington D.C. and Maryland medical malpractice attorneys have the experience to successfully represent clients injured or who have lost loved ones because of a medical misdiagnosis. Contact Lebowitz & Mzhen today and ask for your free consultation.