Seven-figure recovery

Wrongful Death Due to Toxic Side Effects of Amiodarone

Seven-figure recovery for the family of a Blair County man who died due to the toxic side effects of the drug Amiodarone that was being given to treat a cardiac condition. The doctors failed to check his lab work to detect that the drug was having a toxic effect on his liver.
 
Amiodarone is a common drug used to treat atrial fibrillation, and it is very effective at doing so. However, it can in certain patients be toxic to the liver. Therefore, it is important that the patient’s doctor take regular blood samples to make sure that the liver is not being damaged. The doctor gauges that by following what are called “liver function tests” (LFTs). If the LFTs get too high, the doctor will have to “tweak” the dose of Amiodarone. If the doctor does not, he or she runs the risk of causing permanent harm to the patient.
 
In this case, the doctor was not “tracking” the Amiodarone close enough. In other words, he went too long a period of time in between blood tests, and when he finally got around to taking them, they were very elevated and the liver was permanently damaged. As a result, the patient’s liver condition deteriorated rather quickly over the course of a few months, and he died before a transplant could be arranged.
 
This man left behind a wife of several years and children. As in any wrongful death case involving a spouse and children, there were several aspects to the damage claim. First, this man was nearing retirement age, but there was still some future wage loss that we could claim. The biggest part of the damages, however, was the wife’s loss of the society and companionship of her husband of many years. That is always something that is difficult for a jury to put a price on, but we still emphasize that it is a significant item of loss. Likewise, even grown children who lose their parents suffer some loss as well.