One woman from Leigh County suffered an infection at the site of a catheter that became so bad, she was forced to have both of her legs and a finger amputated. The woman, Sharlee Ann Smoyer who was 52 at the time, was receiving home nursing care from a registered nurse who was treating her for chronic Crohn’s disease. After undergoing colon surgery, Smoyer was being fed through a catheter.

An Infection That Should Have Been Prevented

The nurse caring for Smoyer was a registered nurse whose employer had specific procedures for inserting catheters into patients’ bloodstreams. This included monitoring patients for redness at the insertion site. Although the nurse was aware of the fact that an infection can spread rapidly and result in debilitating injuries, she did not report the patient’s condition to any other doctors for eight days.

It was Smoyer who called the nursing agency to say that she was having trouble breathing. The patient was already in septic shock and had to be airlifted. Her infection went septic and gangrenous and required her legs and a finger to be amputated.

A Lehigh County jury awarded Smoyer $23.1 million in this medical malpractice suit.

Nursing home neglect is devastating. If your loved one has been a victim of this type of medical malpractice, please contact our Pennsylvania nursing home neglect attorneys Colling, Gilbert, Wright & Carter today to schedule an appointment. You can also fill out an online questionnaire.