Dennis and Kimberly Quaid have reached a $750,000 medical malpractice settlement agreement with the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for the medication error that nearly killed their twin infants last year.
Zoe Grace and Thomas Boone Quaid were accidentally administered 1,000 times the recommended dose of heparin, a blood thinner. The medication mistake caused the newborn babies to bleed uncontrollably and placed their health in critical condition. Hospital officials have acknowledged that lapses in safety contributed to the twins’ heparin overdose.
Dennis and Kimberly have a drug litigation lawsuit pending against Baxter Healthcare Corp. The Quaids contend that the design and labeling of the drug caused the medication mistake. They are accusing Baxter Healthcare Corp. of products liability.
Heparin
Heparin is often used to prevent patients from experiencing blood clots. It can be used before a surgery, prior to dialysis, or for other medical reasons. Unfortunately, there have been many reported incidents of people sustaining injuries or dying while using heparin. In April 2008, the US Food and Drug Adminisrration discovered that over 100 patients had died since January 2007 while taking heparin. 62 of the deaths were a result of allergic reactions. A number of victims reportedly experienced an adverse reaction when they were given heparin contaminated with oversulfated chondroitin sulfate.
You are entitled to personal injury compensation if you were injured or your health grew worse because you were prescribed the wrong medication, administered the wrong dose, or the drug that you were given was dangerous for your health, defective, improperly packaged, or failed to warn of the adverse side effects that you experienced.
Dennis Quaid settles with Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles Times, December 16, 2008
FDA Triples Tally Of Heparin-Linked Deaths, CBS News, April 8, 2008
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