Kidney disease is an increasingly common medical condition. In the majority of cases, doctors advise patients suffering from this disease to begin a dialysis regimen. Patients must regularly visit a dialysis clinic to undergo a blood filtration process that removes waste and extra fluid from their blood.
DaVita is one of the most widespread dialysis centers in the country. In a recent case in Colorado, three patients at the same DaVita clinic suffered cardiac arrest and death following dialysis treatment. These tragedies were the result of the clinic’s use of GranuFlo–a chemical compound used in dialysis treatment which has been proven to cause alkalosis and toxic pH imbalances. The families of the three patients filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the facility and were recently awarded $383.5 million in damages.
Wrongful death in Michigan
Wrongful death is the worst imaginable outcome of medical negligence–and the family of the deceased has the right to seek restitution. Under Michigan law, family members or other beneficiaries of the deceased may file a wrongful death claim against the negligent party. In most cases, the statute of limitations to initiate such a suit is three years.
Plaintiffs in such a suit may seek damages for:
- Medical, funeral and burial expenses of the deceased,
- Any pain and suffering the deceased experienced between the time of the negligent act and their passing and
- Loss of financial and social support by the deceased’s loved ones.
While no amount of compensation could ever make up for your loved one being prematurely taken from you, wrongful death laws serve to ensure that negligent parties are held accountable–and to prevent such tragedy from happening again.
