Individuals with chronic illnesses count on their medication and medical equipment to stay healthy. When the medical equipment is faulty, the result can be devastating. This was the case for a University of Chicago law student who lost her life when her medical equipment failed her.
The female student was found dead in her apartment due to faulty diabetic equipment. She received incorrect low blood-sugar readings because her diabetic test strips were defective. She used FreeStyle brand test strips and a FreeStyle blood glucose meter embedded in an Omnipod insulin pump made by Insulet. Shortly after her death, her diabetic test strips and insulin pump were recalled. The recalls took place in intervals that ranged from four days to three months after her death. The insulin pump was discovered to have an incompatibility problem. She was only 23 when she died.
Now her parents are bringing a wrongful death suit against Abbot Laboratories, which is the company manufactured the defective products. Her parents know that the suit is too late to help their daughter but the case is being brought on behalf of her estate with the hope of protecting other diabetic sufferers who may not be aware of the potential problems with these medical devices.
Louisiana allows certain individuals to bring wrongful death suits. Parents of the deceased or surviving spouses and children may file suit. An attorney that has experience with wrongful death suits can advise families on their legal options. Though compensation will never return a lost loved one, it can pay for medical and funeral expenses that have been incurred by a family.
Source: ABA Journal, “Suit says law student died due to faulty equipment for diabetics,” Martha Neil, March 9, 2015