Over $3.1 Million Awarded in CA Brain Injury Case From Morphine Overdose at Nursing Home

A California woman has been awarded $3.1 million in connection with the brain damage she suffered when given a morphine overdose at a Santa Ana nursing home, according to the Orange County Register.  The online news source reports that Long Beach resident Barbara Lefforge, 57, was at the facility only 5 and one-half hours when the overdose took place.  She was reportedly at the St. Edna nursing home to “recuperate from tendon repair surgery,” and the podiatrist had accidentally 50 mg of morphine to alleviate pain rather than 50 mg of Demerol.  Although the podiatrist was found ten percent responsible for Lefforge’s resulting brain damage, St. Edna was found ninety percent responsible because its staff should have caught the mistake, especially since the pharmacist had warned that the recommended dosage was too high.  Proving just how dangerous a high dosage of morphine can be, the nurses were unable to retrieve the full dose immediately and only gave Lefforge 30 mg of the pain medicine, which still caused serious brain damage.  St. Edna staff failed to monitor or take the patient to the hospital the day of the overdose, causing more serious damage, according to Lefforge’s attorney.  Lefforge was awarded punitive damages in addition to the $3.1 million for medical expenses and pain and suffering.

Among the more common types of California and Los Angeles brain injury lawsuits are cases of nursing home negligence.  If you or a loved one has suffered brain damage as a result of nursing home negligence in California, contact Los Angeles brain injury lawyers Steinberg & Spencer for free resources and answers to your pressing questions.  To speak to Steinberg & Spencer about how you may receive compensation in your case, contact them online or call (toll-free) 800-350-8888.

August 30, 2010  Tags: , , , , , ,   Posted in: Incidents of Traumatic Brain Injury

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