Regina Honts filed a medical negligence lawsuit in 2013 against HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Gadsden, AL, over the death of her mother Doris Green. Ms. Green died from an allergic reaction to an overdose of unprescribed opiates while she was a patient at the facility. The jury heard that Green suffered permanent brain damage after being administered an opiate even though there were “clear warnings” she was allergic to such drugs.
Green planned to receive rehabilitation treatment for two weeks at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital and then return home to live with her daughter. During her 2011 stay, a nurse found her unresponsive. In a coma, Green was transported to Gadsden Regional Medical Center. Tests found opiates in her system. Upon returning home, she exhibited permanent brain damage. Green died on Oct. 22, 2011. An Etowah County jury supported the medical negligence argument and awarded $20M to Ms. Honts.
Medical pharmacology expert witnesses are critical in medical negligence cases such as Honts v. HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital. These experts have a comprehensive understanding of pharmaceuticals and their actions in the body. They are physicians trained in understanding medication overdose, medication side effects, and toxic ingestions and are called upon to testify regarding drug interactions, overdose, and drug allergies.
