Snakebite Victim Misadvised by Hospital, Almost Loses Arm
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By
Brett H. Oppenheimer, PLLC
Our office received a call from a 28 year old gentleman that lived in a
small town outside Louisville, Kentucky. He was doing some yard work when
he was bitten by a copperhead snake. He did not believe it to be a very
significant bite and it was a small snake. However, he did go to his local
hospital. The hospital ER staff explained to the patient that he had a
“dry bite”. The physicians with whom we consulted advised
that there is no such thing as a “dry bite”. The fact that
the hospital staff was trying to convey that no venom had been injected
into the patient was a risky medical decision, and, in fact, turned out
to be inaccurate. The patient was released to return home with an antibiotic
prescription. The patient and his wife watched the swelling and discoloration
travel from his hand to his forearm and they began to get worried. The
swelling over the next few hours traveled to the client’s elbow.
It was incredibly uncomfortable. When the swelling, pain and heat extended
into the patient’s biceps and upper arm, the patient and his wife
decided to go to a different hospital if it reached his shoulder. In fact,
in another few hours the swelling, heat and discomfort traveled to his
shoulder and the patient went to another hospital. After several days
of intensive inpatient treatment, the patient’s arm was saved. However,
he required many months of rehabilitation and therapy. Once litigation
was commenced, it was discovered that the initial hospital that the patient
had visited
did not have anti-venom in its inventory. Apparently, this was part of the reason for that hospital’s failure
to properly treat the patient. This case settled prior to going to trial.
