Florida Intravenous Infiltration Attorneys
Schedule a free consultation with Freedland Harwin Valori, PL if you need answers to your questions about intravenous (IV) infiltration and medical malpractice in Florida. We can assist with cases involving IV infiltration and the liability of a nurse, doctor, or hospital. You may have grounds to file a claim if a nurse negligently inserted an IV that resulted in harm to you or a family member. Contact us today to learn more.
What Is Intravenous Infiltration?
Administering fluids or medications intravenously is often necessary during many treatments, procedures, surgeries, and childbirth. Placing an IV is one of the most important skills a nurse must have in any healthcare setting, as hundreds of patients can require IVs each day. Nurses and other medical practitioners must learn and train how to place an IV, how to detect signs of complications, and what to do if a problem does arise. One possible complication is intravenous infiltration.
IV infiltration occurs when a nurse places the IV improperly and it leaks toxic fluids into the surrounding tissues instead of into the bloodstream. Improper IV placement, the catheter becoming dislodged (often due to patient movement), or the catheter passing through the vein wall or blood vessel wall can all lead to infiltration. Although the vast majority of IVs do not cause harm to patients, all of them have the potential for significant damage. IV infiltration can be extremely serious if it goes undetected. It is the responsibility of a nurse to prevent and treat IV infiltration as quickly and efficiently as possible.
IV infiltration can result in toxic substances entering the patient’s tissues. Without treatment, this can result in symptoms such as swelling of the tissues, blanching, tight skin, burning or discomfort, decreased IV flow rate. If a nurse still fails to notice IV infiltration after the patient presents signs and symptoms, prolonged infiltration can permanently damage the muscles, nerves, and tissues in the area receiving the toxic chemicals. A lawsuit can arise if a nurse negligently causes and/or fails to detect and treat IV infiltration.
Do You Have a Medical Malpractice Claim?
In Florida, you must have certain elements for your IV infiltration lawsuit to be successful. First, you must show that a doctor-patient relationship existed between you and the nurse, or another medical provider, at the time of the incident. If the facility inserts an IV in you then this element is almost always satisfied. Second, you must prove the defendant breached a duty of care to you. A breach of care occurs when another person in the defendant’s situation would have correctly placed the IV, avoided infiltration, or otherwise treated the patient’s condition to prevent the harm.
Third, you must prove that the defendant’s breach of duty caused your injuries. Even if you have proof that the nurse negligently caused IV infiltration, you will only have a successful claim if those actions caused you real, compensable damages. Fourth, the incident must have resulted in damages. “Damages” in Florida can include physical injuries, pain and suffering, medical costs and lost wages – both past and future.
Our medical malpractice attorneys can listen to your case and tell you if we believe it has merit in Florida. Call (954) 467-6400 or send your message online to schedule a meeting with one of our lawyers.
