Cleveland Clinic screwed up my mother's meds, can we sue?

Question

She went into the ER because her foot was uber swollen and she says it hurt really REALLY bad. So, there, the ER doctor gives her some pills and after about a week if it isn't better to go to her doctor. Well, a week later, the swelling has gone up, the toe nails were blackened and the skin between her pinky toe was torn. She goes to her normal doctor who say basically, IDK what he was doing. I look up what the pills are for and it says the meds he fave her are for a urinary tract infection (which BTW she doesn't have). So can she sue for pain and suffering, the days she missed from work that she didn't get paid for and the cash she had to pay up front for the ER visit? Does she have a case?

Answer 1

probably not, what he gave her, while it may be used for bladder infections, it is also likely a broad spectrum antibiotic, and will work on other things like cellulitis, and it sounds like he may have thought your mom had cellulitis, in which case, the treatment was appropriate. Suggest you ask for a copy of the ER doctor's note, you have a right to that, and see what his reasons were for giving her the medication, he will have documented that in her chart.