A central line infection, or CLABSI (Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection), is one of the most serious types of hospital-acquired infections, often occurring when a patient is already vulnerable and relying on critical medical care. For families, the diagnosis can feel sudden and overwhelming, especially when questions arise about whether the infection could have been prevented. At Dempsey Kingsland...
Read MoreImagine undergoing a routine surgical procedure and developing concerning symptoms days later. Severe abdominal pain, dizziness, rapid heart rate, and black or bloody stool could all be internal bleeding after surgery symptoms. This is a serious, potentially life-threatening complication that requires immediate medical attention. If you have recently undergone surgery and experienced complications such as internal bleeding, you may...
Read MoreYou’re in the hospital recovering from a medical procedure when you notice your arm swelling and turning red. The pain is intense, and you can’t move your hand; later, the doctor confirms that these are IV infiltration injury signs. In the middle of your pain and shock, you’re now feeling frustration: How did this happen? Could this have been...
Read MoreA serious infection after surgery can turn what should have been a path to healing into a prolonged, painful, and sometimes life-threatening ordeal. For many patients and families, the question quickly turns to whether what happened rises to the level of medical malpractice and whether a post-surgical infection lawsuit is possible. The answer is nuanced. Not every infection is...
Read MoreConsider a patient who undergoes a routine knee replacement in Kansas City. The procedure is uneventful, and after two nights, the patient is discharged with instructions and pain medication. A week later, the surgical site appears red, the patient feels fatigued, and develops a fever. Upon contacting the surgeon’s office, the on-call nurse attributes these symptoms to normal inflammation...
Read MoreImagine walking into the operating room for what should be a routine gallbladder removal, trusting your surgeon’s expertise and experience. You wake up hours later, only to discover that the surgeon cut the wrong organ, removing a healthy kidney instead of your diseased gallbladder. This nightmare scenario, while rare, happens more often than patients realize. When medical professionals make...
Read MoreWhen you go into surgery, you trust your surgeons with your life. Unfortunately, not every surgery goes as it should. So what happens if a surgeon makes a mistake during surgery? If your doctor made a mistake during surgery and you suffered an injury as a result, you may have a claim for medical malpractice.
Read MoreWhen medical care goes wrong, families often struggle to understand what legal protections exist and how recent law changes might affect their rights. In 2026, Missouri medical malpractice laws will reflect several updates passed in 2025. These adjustments aim to clarify time limits, damage caps, and expert witness qualifications for patients seeking justice. At Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen, we...
Read MoreMedical care today depends heavily on sophisticated equipment. Ventilators, infusion pumps, monitoring systems, and diagnostic machines play a critical role in patient safety. When one of these devices fails, the consequences can be immediate and devastating. Families are often left searching for answers about what went wrong and who should be held accountable. When harm follows a device malfunction,...
Read MoreWith little warning, your life, or the life of someone you love, may be permanently altered by negligent medical care. Serious medical errors can affect your health, independence, livelihood, and future. When that happens, understanding how to take appropriate action matters not only for accountability but to help prevent similar harm to others. This guide explains, step by step,...
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