Medical Errors in Cruise Ship Infirmaries

Some medical malpractice lawsuits arise from incidents where the medical procedure took place in a poorly equipped facility.  Things can go wrong with almost any medical treatment, and healthcare workers should always have a plan for quickly getting the patient to a facility that offers a higher level of treatment if necessary.  This is why only the lowest risk surgeries can be performed on an outpatient basis.  Anesthesiologists bring a crash cart for reversing adverse reactions and stabilizing the patient, and the outpatient clinic always has a plan for getting the patient to a full-fledged hospital if necessary.  Hospitals have plans in place for airlifting patients to other hospitals when the situation calls for it.  When a patient suffers an iatrogenic injury, that is, one caused by medical treatment, on a cruise ship as a result of a medical error at the cruise ship infirmary, things can quickly go from bad to worse.  If you have been injured as a result of a medical error on a cruise ship, contact a Fort Lauderdale medical malpractice attorney.

Retiree Suffers Permanent Decline in Health After Cruise Ship Infirmary Nurse Improperly Inserts Urinary Catheter

In May 2018, Lewis Masotti of Royal Palm Beach departed on a Royal Caribbean cruise with his wife Judith.  Masotti was 85 years old and had no health problems except that he used a urinary catheter, which nurses would insert each day.  The first morning of the cruise, Masotti went to the infirmary and the nurse inserted the catheter.  Lewis immediately saw blood in the drainage bag, which was something that had never happened before.  The nurse summoned a doctor, who said that the blood must have come from Masotti’s bladder, but Masotti said that had never happened before.

Masotti went back to his room, and his condition worsened.  Judith brought him back to the infirmary at noon, by which time he was suffering from fever and chills.  He waited for hours, and it was 4:00 before a doctor examined him.  The doctor diagnosed him with sepsis, and his condition continued to worsen before he could enter a hospital on dry land.  By the time he reached maximum medical improvement, his condition was considerably worse than it had been before the cruise and the medical error.  He underwent months of rehabilitation, and when he was finished, his mobility was limited to where he required a cane to walk.

Lewis and Judith Masotti sued Royal Caribbean cruises for $750,000.  This amount included the medical expenses that Lewis had incurred because of the preventable injury, as well as the treatment that he would continue to need.  It also includes noneconomic damages for his physical and emotional suffering and loss of independence.

Set Up a Consultation Today

A personal injury lawyer can help you if you suffered a serious injury due to a medical error when you were on a cruise ship or otherwise far from a fully equipped hospital.  Contact Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale, Florida or call 954-566-919 to explore your potential recovery options today.

Source:

miaminewtimes.com/news/couple-files-negligence-lawsuit-against-royal-caribbean-after-faulty-procedure-by-doctor-11199470