Dialysis Injury
Injured After Dialysis in Oakland County? A Michigan Dialysis Injury Lawyer Can Review Potential Claims
If you or a loved one suffered serious complications, required hospitalization, or died after dialysis treatment in Oakland County, Michigan, you may have legal options. The Oliver Bell Group is reviewing potential medical malpractice, wrongful death, and defective medical device claims involving dialysis-related injuries.
If you believe negligent medical care or defective dialysis equipment contributed to a serious injury, contact our team for a free, confidential case evaluation.
Medical Emergency: When to Call 911 After Dialysis
If you are experiencing chest pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, stroke-like symptoms, or other severe symptoms after dialysis, call 911 or seek emergency medical care immediately. Dialysis patients can face urgent complications that require rapid evaluation.
Oakland County Dialysis Investigation (What’s Been Publicly Reported)
Recent public reporting has raised concerns after multiple patients reportedly suffered medical emergencies following dialysis treatment in Oakland County. Reports have described hospitalizations associated with a dialysis clinic in Southfield and a separate incident involving a patient who was found deceased after treatment in Novi.
Investigators continue to determine what occurred. As of now, publicly available reporting has not established the cause of these incidents. Any determination of responsibility typically depends on evidence such as medical records, facility documentation, equipment information, staffing records, and expert review.
Who May Have a Dialysis Injury Claim?
Dialysis has known risks and side effects, but patients may have legal rights if preventable errors, unsafe conditions, or product problems contributed to their injuries.
- You may wish to speak with a dialysis injury lawyer if you or a loved one experienced:
- Hospitalization after dialysis
- Loss of consciousness or serious falls
- Severe infection (including bloodstream infection)
- Stroke, heart attack, or other unexpected medical emergency
- Worsening symptoms after leaving the dialysis clinic
- Permanent injury
- Wrongful death following dialysis treatment
Every case is different and requires a careful review of the facts.
Common Causes of Preventable Dialysis Injuries
Depending on the circumstances, a dialysis injury lawyer may investigate whether harm was
related to:
- Failure to properly monitor the patient during or after treatment
- Medication or dosage errors
- Excessive fluid removal (which may contribute to dangerously low blood pressure)
- Infection prevention failures (including lapses in vascular access care)
- Dialysis equipment or medical device malfunctions
- Water quality, disinfection, or sterilization issues (where applicable to hemodialysis
operations) - Inadequate staffing, training, or supervision
- Delays in recognizing or responding to medical emergencies
Dialysis complications do not always mean negligence occurred. However, preventable mistakes and safety failures can have devastating consequences.
Medical Malpractice or Defective Medical Device?
Dialysis injury cases may involve different legal claims depending on what the evidence shows:
- Medical malpractice may involve negligent medical care, such as failing to monitor a patient, medication errors, delayed escalation, or infection control failures.
- Product liability may involve defective dialysis machines, tubing, filters, catheters, or other devices or components used during treatment. If a device is suspected, adverse events can also be reported to the FDA.
In some cases, both medical negligence and product issues may contribute to a patient’s injuries.
What Should You Do After a Dialysis Injury?
If you believe dialysis contributed to a serious injury:
- Seek medical attention immediately if symptoms worsen.
- Keep copies of dialysis, hospital, and emergency medical records.
- Save discharge instructions, medication lists, and billing records.
- Write down when symptoms began and what occurred during treatment.
- Avoid assuming the cause until records have been reviewed by qualified professionals.
Prompt action can help protect both your health and important evidence.
What Symptoms After Dialysis Should Never Be Ignored?
Because dialysis can affect blood pressure, fluid balance, and electrolytes, patients should take new or worsening symptoms seriously.
Get immediate medical attention for:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of consciousness
- Severe dizziness or fainting
- Stroke-like symptoms (sudden weakness, numbness, trouble speaking, facial droop)
- Persistent bleeding
- Fever or signs of infection, especially around the access site
- Rapidly worsening symptoms
For infection prevention and safety information specific to dialysis settings, see CDC dialysis safety resources.
How the Oliver Bell Group Can Help
The Oliver Bell Group focuses on serious personal injury matters, including medical malpractice, defective medical devices, product liability, and wrongful death. If you contact us, our dialysis injury lawyer team may review:
- Dialysis treatment records and orders
- Hospital and emergency department records
- Device/equipment information (when applicable)
- Facility policies and training materials (when available)
- Staffing information (when available)
- Incident reports (when available)
- Expert medical opinions
Our goal is to determine whether preventable negligence or a defective medical product contributed to your injuries and explain your legal options.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can dialysis complications be caused by medical malpractice?
Sometimes. Dialysis involves known risks, but preventable medical errors or failures to meet the accepted standard of care may support a medical malpractice claim. Whether malpractice occurred depends on the facts and medical evidence.
Can a dialysis machine malfunction cause serious injury?
Can family members file a wrongful death claim in Michigan?
If a loved one dies because of negligent medical care or a defective medical product, surviving family members may have legal rights. Michigan’s wrongful death statute outlines who may bring a claim and what damages may be available. Source: Michigan Compiled Laws 600.2922
How long do I have to file a medical malpractice claim in Michigan?
Michigan law imposes deadlines for medical malpractice claims and also has procedural requirements that may apply, including pre-suit notice in many cases. Because time limits and rules can be complex and fact-dependent, it is important to speak with a Michigan dialysis injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Dialysis Facility Safety Standards (Background)
Dialysis facilities that participate in Medicare must meet federal Conditions for Coverage, which include requirements related to patient care, infection control, water/dialysate quality (for hemodialysis), and governance/quality assessment.
Speak With a Michigan Dialysis Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one suffered serious complications after dialysis treatment anywhere in Oakland County or throughout Michigan, the Oliver Bell Group is available to review your case. Whether your injuries involve suspected medical malpractice, negligent patient care, defective dialysis equipment, medication errors, infection-related complications, or wrongful death, our attorneys can explain your legal options during a free, confidential consultation.
Contact the Oliver Bell Group today to schedule your free case evaluation.