Confidential Settlement for Death from MRSA Infection of IV Site*

When our clients’ son was hospitalized for a head injury from a motorcycle accident, an IV site was started in his arm. Over the next several days during the hospitalization, the young man started to develop signs and symptoms of sepsis (bacterial contamination in the blood stream), which were ignored by the hospital nursing staff and attending physician. Although the patient recovered from the head injury and was discharged home from the hospital after a few days, the patient became progressively more ill from the undiagnosed sepsis. Several days after the patient had been discharged from the hospital, he was rushed back to the hospital in septic shock from the infected IV site. Laboratory testing showed the IV site had been infected with MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) – most likely a Hospital Acquired Infection.

The defendant hospital and doctor initially refused to settle this case and blamed the patient for refusing to undergo blood transfusions because of his religious beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness.  As a nurse-attorney, Marjorie Chalfant knew that blood transfusions would not have made any difference to this patient’s outcome because the sepsis and septic shock from the contaminated IV site was irreversible.

*Ms. Chalfant’s successful settlements do not guarantee the same or similar result for every case but are presented to demonstrate her knowledge of medicine, medical malpractice litigation skills, and successful track record. Every case is unique with varying facts and circumstances.