Pennsylvania residents fighting their own medical malpractice lawsuits should take particular interest in a recent case in Florida. The family of a deceased man is suing a Miami hospital, claiming that the hospital accidentally gave him a drug used in executions, a mistake that cost the man his life.

This story provides yet more evidence that even the best medical centers can make deadly errors.

According to a feature story by the Huffington Post, a 79-year-old man suffering from shortness of breath and stomach pains was admitted to a Miami hospital last summer. Doctors afterwards told family members that the man had died after going into respiratory arrest after being given the wrong medication.

According to family members, a nurse at the hospital allegedly gave the man Pancuronium, a muscle relaxant, when she was supposed to give him an over-the-counter antacid. Pancuronium is a drug that many states use when executing prisoners. It is also used by surgeons in hospital operating rooms.

The hospital released an official statement apologizing for the mistake and offering their condolences to the deceased man's relatives. The lawsuit filed by the family is still moving through the court system.

Hospitals undoubtedly do amazing work. But the doctors, nurses and other staffers at these facilities are human. They can make mistakes. This is the message that family members and patients need to keep in mind when they have their own doubts about whether they or their loved ones have received proper medical care. When these errors do occur, a medical malpractice lawsuit can help families that might be devastated financially because of hospital error.

Source: Huffington Post, "Richard Smith, 79-Year-Old Miami Man, Dies After Accidentally Receiving Execution Drug," Dean Praetorius, Nov. 19, 2011