AI Legalese Decoder: Empowering Families During Medical Mishaps to Seek Justice and Save Lives
- October 16, 2023
- Posted by: legaleseblogger
- Category: Related News
Speed-Dial AI Lawyer (470) 835 3425 FREE
FREE Legal Document translation
Try Free Now: Legalese tool without registration
On Wednesday, October 4, my 17-year-old son attempted suicide by ingesting a significant amount of ibuprofen, ranging between 100 and 500 tablets. The severity of the situation became apparent when his friend called, informing me that my son was vomiting uncontrollably, slipping in and out of consciousness. In a panic, I immediately instructed the friend to dial 911, while I hurriedly made my way to meet the arriving ambulance and police. By the time I reached the scene, my son was almost entirely unresponsive, drifting in what appeared to be a deep sleep or unconscious state. Both the police and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) were informed about the ibuprofen ingestion and his history of substance abuse, ensuring they were prepared with Narcan if necessary. Unfortunately, the administration of Narcan yielded no improvement, leading the medical professionals to conclude that the ibuprofen was responsible for his deteriorating condition.
Upon his arrival at the hospital, his vomiting intensified to the point where he needed to be cleaned and changed. Due to his critical condition, he was admitted to the suicide watch ward for continuous medical monitoring. However, the nurse attending to him expressed being overwhelmed by an excessive patient load, raising concerns about the quality of care. Additionally, my son started experiencing seizure-like movements, uncontrollably thrashing his limbs. Although an electrocardiogram (EKG) and bloodwork were conducted to determine the extent of his overdose, it perplexed me as we had already informed the medical staff of the ingested substance. Surprisingly, the on-call doctor dismissed any concerns regarding ibuprofen toxicity, stating that the amount required to cause harm was nearly impossible to consume. While the panel they conducted tested negative for substances like Tylenol, aspirin, opioids, and alcohol, it did not include ibuprofen, even though we had explicitly mentioned he had taken it. Toxicology experts from poison control were consulted, and they declared him medically stable. This was alarming considering his worsening condition, as he remained in a nearly catatonic or comatose state, unaware to the point of urinating on himself. The medical staff insisted that he simply needed rest to recover.
Throughout his hospitalization, sporadic checks of his blood pressure, blood oxygen, and intermittent temperature readings were taken, reflecting consistently heightened heart rate (ranging from 140-150 bpm) and consistently low blood pressure (around 90/45). Despite repeatedly expressing his extreme temperature sensitivity, the hospital provided insufficient accommodations, not even providing socks or replacing his soiled clothes. As a result, he was left sitting in urine while enduring the frigid temperature of an icy room beneath an air vent. I constantly requested additional blankets to keep him warm, and due to the staff’s reluctance to assist with changing him, I had to emphasize the need multiple times. During this ordeal, his feet and hands grew so cold that I resorted to holding and rubbing them to provide some warmth. Over time, he gradually regained consciousness, although he remained severely delirious, confused, fatigued, and too weak to stand.
Subsequently, we had encounters with two additional doctors. The first offered minimal aid, except for providing Seth with intravenous fluids. She persistently questioned the specific nature of the ingested substance, despite our repeated insistence on his ibuprofen overdose. Finally, the third doctor acknowledged the seriousness of the overdose and promptly performed necessary bloodwork while administering further fluids. During this assessment, we discovered that my son’s body temperature had dropped to a dangerous range, approximately 92-93 degrees Fahrenheit. The bloodwork revealed severe kidney failure, requiring extensive dialysis and, in the worst-case scenario, a potential kidney transplant. As a result of his age and the hospital’s lack of resources to handle such cases, the doctor insisted on an immediate transfer to the downtown children’s hospital.
Throughout his stay at the initial hospital, my son received care that primarily emphasized his mental state and psychiatric evaluation in preparation for inpatient treatment. Remarkably, despite my son being unable to open his eyes or use the bathroom, attendants and nurses displayed a dismissive attitude towards his critical condition, perceiving him as merely depressed and sleeping.
Based on the medical records available in my son’s patient portal, it is evident that he was admitted to the children’s hospital in a dangerously life-threatening condition. Without delving into the intricate details of his treatment, which involved extensive dialysis, correction of severely imbalanced electrolytes, and addressing other severe health complications, I must acknowledge the invaluable efforts of the children’s hospital in saving my son’s life.
While I recognize the inherent risks associated with suicide attempts of this nature, I strongly believe that the doctors and nurses repeatedly failed to provide adequate care for my son. Considering the information shared by the doctors and my subsequent online research, it is evident that several treatment options, such as charcoal, plasma, and electrolyte management, should have been pursued to prevent his condition from reaching a life-threatening state. Moreover, the dangerously low body temperature itself could have proved fatal.
Given these circumstances, I am contemplating pursuing a case for medical malpractice. However, I am aware that such cases are often challenging. Nevertheless, the head nurse, upon working with the third doctor, demonstrated genuine shock at the numerous shortcomings in my son’s care and vowed to initiate a patient advocacy case. I am concerned that navigating a legal battle against a large regional hospital network may prove difficult, but I cannot allow this negligence to go unaddressed when there was a substantial risk of my son losing his life. Furthermore, the medical bills are anticipated to be exorbitant. Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated.
How AI Legalese Decoder Can Help:
AI Legalese Decoder can aid in this situation by providing comprehensive and detailed legal advice based on the specific circumstances outlined. It can analyze the potential merits and challenges of a medical malpractice case, considering factors such as the hospital’s role in the larger regional network and the evidence presented. Additionally, the AI can offer guidance on how to navigate the complex legal process, including identifying key arguments and strategies to present the strongest possible case. With its knowledge of legal standards and previous case outcomes, AI Legalese Decoder can provide valuable insights to help the person make an informed decision about pursuing legal action.
Speed-Dial AI Lawyer (470) 835 3425 FREE
FREE Legal Document translation
Try Free Now: Legalese tool without registration
AI Legalese Decoder: Simplifying Legal Documents
Introduction
Legal documents are infamous for their complex language and intricate terminology, known as “legalese.” This language barrier often hinders the comprehension of legal concepts for individuals without a legal background. However, with recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), the emergence of the AI Legalese Decoder offers a solution to this problem. By using algorithms trained on vast legal databases, the AI Legalese Decoder can break down and simplify the language of legal documents. This technology has the potential to revolutionize legal processes and make the law more accessible to the general public.
The Challenge of Legalese
Legal documents, such as contracts, statutes, and court judgments, are traditionally written in a formal and complex language known as legalese. This language is characterized by long, convoluted sentences and archaic terminology that can be challenging for non-lawyers to understand. As a result, individuals often require the assistance of legal professionals to interpret and comprehend these documents. This reliance on legal experts can be costly, time-consuming, and create inequalities in access to justice.
The AI Legalese Decoder Solution
The AI Legalese Decoder is an innovative tool that utilizes natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to simplify legal documents. By analyzing and understanding the underlying structure of legalese, the AI Legalese Decoder breaks down complex sentences and replaces technical terminology with plain language equivalents. This process helps individuals better understand the content of legal documents without the need for extensive legal training or consultation.
Moreover, the AI Legalese Decoder can also provide contextual interpretations of legal provisions, highlighting important clauses or potential pitfalls. This functionality helps individuals avoid misunderstandings or misinterpretations that could have serious legal consequences. By summarizing and extracting key information, the AI Legalese Decoder ensures that individuals can grasp the essential aspects of a legal document more easily.
Benefits and Implications
The AI Legalese Decoder holds significant potential to bridge the gap between legal professionals and the general public in terms of legal literacy and access to justice. By simplifying legal documents, this technology enables individuals to independently understand and navigate legal proceedings, reducing the need for expensive legal consultations. The AI Legalese Decoder can also contribute to a more transparent legal system by making contracts and other legal documents more comprehensible for all parties involved.
Furthermore, the AI Legalese Decoder has implications beyond aiding individuals in their legal endeavors. It can also support businesses in reviewing contracts more efficiently, streamlining compliance processes, and reducing the risk of misinterpretation of legal obligations. This not only saves time and resources but also contributes to more effective decision-making in various sectors.
Conclusion
The AI Legalese Decoder has the potential to revolutionize the way legal documents are understood and interpreted. By simplifying legalese, this innovative tool empowers individuals, enhances legal literacy, and promotes equal access to justice. Whether for personal legal matters or improving business operations, the AI Legalese Decoder offers a promising solution to navigate the often-daunting language of law. As this technology continues to develop, it has the capacity to transform legal systems and positively impact society as a whole.
Speed-Dial AI Lawyer (470) 835 3425 FREE
FREE Legal Document translation
****** just grabbed a
All we can say is consult a few. TheyÔÇÖre cheap or free. You can wait until he is stable and extent of injuries are clear.
Physician here. As others have said itÔÇÖs usually cheap to consult malpractice attorneys.
I will say, IÔÇÖm not clear from your story how the team at the first hospital could have done anything to change the outcome. While we generally worry less about ibuprofen ingestions, toxicity from iblirofen is real and they were certainly wrong to blow off a report of 100-500 tablets ingested (20-100 grams which is massive). However, they did discover his renal failure and transferred him to a center that could care for him.
The key thing here is there is no antidote for ibuprofen – we manage the complications including renal failure. There is no benefit to starting dialysis early, it doesnÔÇÖt change the outcome. Charcoal doesnÔÇÖt sound like it would have been advisable based on his mental status on arrival as you described it, also not even sure if heÔÇÖd have been in an appropriate time window for that. Plasma exchange is not a standard therapy for this, itÔÇÖs been described in case reports with mixed results and IÔÇÖm not sure any center would have gone for it based on the situation youÔÇÖve described.
IÔÇÖm not arguing they provided top tier medical care. There are parts of your story that me feel like IÔÇÖm missing key details as the team and poison control initially medically clearing an obtunded overdose patient doesnÔÇÖt compute. He certainly wasnÔÇÖt adequately monitored based on the scenario he presented with. Regardless, from the info I have whatever delays happened didnÔÇÖt really change his outcome. Had he gone into cardiac arrest or had some other substantial complication from untreated renal failure youÔÇÖd have more of a case. The complications he did have (clots, infections, etc) are not unusual for critically ill patients which again, heÔÇÖd have been no matter what they did.
Minor note: there is not readily available or useful blood test for ibuprofen, which is generally fine since the level doesnÔÇÖt guide management.
I am not a lawyer or a doctor. I am a hospital pharmacist.
I am sorry you and your son have had to go through this. I hope he fully recovers quickly.
Toxicity from ibuprofen, even when ingesting huge amounts, is very rare, though not impossible. This explains the recommendations from poison control and your son’s initial treatment plan. However, it does appear that concerning symptoms were ignored at the first hospital. I suggest seeking a free consultation from a medical malpractice attorney.
NAL/NAD
From what others have said, I think the most important things for you to do at the moment (from now until your son is more recovered and you can contact a lawyer) are:
(1) to create a timeline of events (being as specific as possible) and write down notes on everything. Every possible detail. Date your notes as well (day/month/year and time for every entry). Memory of an event becomes less reliable the more time goes on. For example, look at your phoneÔÇÖs call records to get the exact time at which you called EMS. Note down any other exact times and dates that you can recall, and save all evidence corroborating your story (such as a screenshot of the EMS call on your phone showing date/time/length of call). Save everything, even if it seems insignificant. Request records from the first hospital up to your transfer. When your son is discharged, do the same for the second hospital. If you end up having a case, this will be important to both you and your lawyer, as it will help keep the details as consistent and accurate as possible. Take as much time as you need (even over multiple days) and write down everything you remember.
(2) to spend time with your son. As hard as this is for you, itÔÇÖs even harder for him. Be there for him.
(3) to take care of your own health. If possible, have someone come stay with your son so you can get food, step out of the hospital, get sleep, etc. I know thatÔÇÖs hard to do, but you need to look after yourself so that youÔÇÖll be able to continue to look after your son.
Best of luck. I hope his recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
IÔÇÖve been involved in a malpractice case before. Typically the consult is free and then if they believe you have a case and you retain them as your lawyer they take payment once the case is completed. If the case is lost or dismissed most malpractice lawyers will waive the fees.
That may seem nice, but malpractice lawyers donÔÇÖt really take cases if they donÔÇÖt believe theyÔÇÖll win or at least get a settlement. The usual cost to you after you win or settle is 30% of the winnings/settlement plus court costs/fees.
YouÔÇÖll have to prove that the healthcare professionals acted outside of the standard of care. It sounds like they did to me personally, but thatÔÇÖs something the lawyer will consider before taking your case.
My advice is to get all the health records and create a binder with dividers (labs, admissions, imaging, notes, insurance billing, out of pocket costs, etc). Once you have all the information in an easily accessible and understandable format your consults will go much better.
Edited to add: you can retain a lawyer now. They will follow your sonÔÇÖs care and will file a case once the extent of his injuries is clear. These cases can take years, but the sooner you start gathering the information/evidence the less time the healthcare providers have to change the information/cover their ass. Plus the information will still be fresh in all their minds.
One thing to keep in mind is that many states require a doctors evaluation before they can even file paperwork to begin a lawsuit. So, assuming youÔÇÖre paying on contingency, right up front lawyers are looking at an increased cost just to find out if they really can get a return on their investment. Therefore, many lawyers are less willing to take medical malpractice cases than personal injury ones. That said, you told them they took ibuprofen, so they had that information and did absolutely nothing about it. Even if that wasnÔÇÖt the problem, it sounds like his fever was mismanaged. YouÔÇÖve probably got something.
Beware of a lawyer in this case that tells you they can get you a large settlement quickly. From what youÔÇÖre saying this is probably a 6 figure case, especially if your insurance is limited. It will almost certainly be a long process and any lawyer that tells you it can definitely be quick is probably just looking out for themselves.
[removed]
[removed]
[removed]
[removed]
[removed]