Hospitals and doctors are responsible for the diagnosis, treatment and care of a variety of injuries and illnesses. What may seem like a simple injury or wound, can quickly become serious when doctors fail to provide proper follow-up care. Such was the case for one 12-year-old boy who suffered an injury that quickly turned into a medical emergency and resulted in a hospital negligence lawsuit.

The boy was injured when he fell on a nail while playing laser tag. He was treated at a hospital for the injury to his knee and released. The doctor who attended to his injury, however, failed to prescribe antibiotics to ensure the boy’s wound did not become infected.

Two days after the initial injury, the boy returned to the hospital complaining of severe pain and swelling in his leg. At this time, the doctor who saw the boy failed to diagnose he was suffering from a dangerous flesh-eating bacteria. It wasn’t until two days later, that another doctor diagnosed and took necessary medical steps to treat the serious bacterial infection. By the time he was diagnosed, the boy had suffered severe and permanent injuries.

As a result of the bacterial infection, the boy was in a coma for two weeks. During this time, he suffered seizures which resulted in permanent brain damage. Additionally, the infection spread from the boy’s knee up to his groin, causing extensive damage and decomposition to the boy’s skin and tissue.

The boy’s parents filed a lawsuit against both the hospital and doctors whose negligent actions they claim to lead to severe and permanent injuries to their child. A jury recently awarded the boy and his family more than $7.8 million in damages.

Source: Dyersburg State Gazette, “Family receives $7.8M settlement in flesh-eating bacteria case,” Aug. 31, 2012