Contaminated Steroid Injection of Shoulder, Flesh-Eating Bacteria Injuries

A middle-aged man who had a shoulder-related work injury sees a family doctor who performs a steroid injection of his shoulder. After the injection the man went to physical therapy but had more pain under his collarbone which worsened once he got home. Later he could not sleep, was dizzy, and had swelling in the shoulder. By the next day the condition worsened and he went to a medical center which transfered him to a major medical hospital. It was quickly determined that the man had a flesh-eating bacteria of his shoulder, and despite tremendous care and life-saving surgery, he suffered massive destruction of tissues, muscle and bone in the affected shoulder that required extensive hospitalization and then rehabilitation. Despite the care and therapy, he was left with significant deformities of the shoulder, back and chest, and had substantial impairment of the shoulder. A lawsuit alleged that the shoulder steroid injection was improperly performed, and that this was the cause of the flesh-eating bacteria and injuries, including because the injection was not performed with proper aseptic techniques. Mark Clore and co-counsel achieved a confidential settlement on the man’s behalf during trial.

• Attorney
  Mark D. Clore
• Outcome
  Confidential Settlement