Six-figure recovery for improper use of antibiotics

Antibiotics are often referred to as modern day “wonder drugs” as they have certainly helped to eradicate many infections which otherwise would cause great harm. However, in recent years there has been much concern in the medical profession about the overuse of antibiotics because those drugs have their own side effects. We recently encountered one such situation in which a man recovering from knee surgery was unnecessarily given the antibiotics Clindamycin and Cipro.
 
One possible side effect of those drugs, particularly Clindamycins, is that the patient develops C-difficile associated diarrhea which, in turn, can cause colitis. That is exactly what happened to this gentleman. He went on to develop colitis from the unnecessary use of antibiotics and ended up being hospitalized for a very lengthy period of time with multiple complications. Although he survived the ordeal, he went through several months of hospitalization and medical care that otherwise would have been avoided.