The Regents of the University of California, the governing board that oversees the University of California system, has reached a $15 million settlement in a lawsuit alleging medical battery and negligence that was brought forth by a patient's family after the patient was injected mistakenly with a chemical substance instead of local anesthesia.
Here are 5 things to know:
1. On Nov. 17, 2020, a chemical substance and medication were placed next to each other in identical cups on a procedure tray, which resulted in confusion during a fibroid removal in an emergency setting, according to a Dec. 4 news release shared with Becker's from the patient's attorney.
2. The chemical injection resulted in severe burns to the patient's tissue, pelvic muscles and nerves, which led to mobility challenges and chronic pain.
3. The lawsuit claimed failures like inadequate training, labeling errors and insufficient safety protocols.
4. "The disabling physical injuries in this case are likely permanent," June Bashant, the patient's attorney, said in the release. "This settlement will never make up for the loss of a changed life trajectory, nor the ongoing challenges that our client will continue to face over her lifetime. What this settlement represents is financial security to cover ongoing and necessary medical expenses."
5. The law firm representing the plaintiff also called for the Regents to implement more communication and safety protocol changes around medication labeling to avoid future harm or mistakes.
"Due to patient privacy laws, we are unable to comment," a spokesperson for San Francisco-based UCSF Health, part of the UC System, told Becker's.