MUSC Pays Settlement To Estate Of Man Who Suffered Complications From Epidural Injection
Epidural injections are a common method of administering medication to hospitalized patients. Nurses insert a catheter into the epidural space between the spine and the spinal cord and leave it in place for the duration of treatment. It is a common method of pain relief for women during childbirth, but it can also be administered during surgery. Epidural injections of steroids are a common form of relief for lower back pain. Epidural injections have been part of clinical practice since the 1920s, and complications are rare. Most complications are minor and involve headaches or inadequate pain relief. The worst-case scenario is that epidural bleeding or a misplaced catheter can lead to paralysis. This is what happened to a South Carolina man who went to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) emergency room, complaining of back pain. In 2025, MUSC paid a settlement of nearly a million dollars to his estate to compensate for his injuries and his untimely death. If you suffered complications from an epidural injection because of a medical error, contact a Columbia medical malpractice lawyer.
What Can Go Wrong With an Epidural Injection?
William Bowen had suffered from lower back pain for years, and epidural injections of corticosteroids were among the treatments he sometimes received to manage the pain. In August 2022, when Bowen was 69 years old, he went to the MUSC emergency room because of severe back pain. A doctor administered an epidural injection of corticosteroids, but the doctor administered it improperly, and Bowen suffered complications and remained paralyzed for the rest of his life.
Bowen filed a medical malpractice claim against MUSC, and the case remained open until after he died. In 2025, the South Carolina Insurance Reserve Fund paid a settlement of $975,000 to his estate, enabling his estate to settle and his surviving family members to inherit the money.
Most Medical Malpractice Cases Do Not Go to Trial
Medical malpractice claims are more complex than most personal injury and wrongful death claims, because determining whether the healthcare providers’ actions constitute negligence requires the professional opinions of physicians. The plaintiff’s lawyer must consult a physician unrelated to the case before presenting it to the court. After that, three physicians unrelated to the case must review the patient’s medical records and give their professional opinions about whether the defendant breached the standard of care; all three must have recent clinical experience in the same field of medicine as the defendant, but they cannot personally know the defendant or have treated the patient. Most medical practice cases settle at this stage or even earlier; South Carolina maintains a fund to pay claims of patients injured by medical malpractice, and physicians’ risk management insurance also sometimes pays the claims.
Let Us Help You Today
The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you get justice after a medical error. Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.
Source:
wistv.com/2025/12/26/sc-mans-estate-receives-nearly-1m-payout-after-wrongful-death-lawsuit/
