And it would be an accident or complication had it been given in the lower spine, where it was meant to be administered. Given in the neck, however, is malpractice. An epidural works by paralyzing all nerve innervation below the point of entry. If it's give in the neck then you're paralyzing ALL muscles, including the diaphragm and heart.

and yes I see the last part. Ive had something similar happen to me during wisdom teeth removal. My doctor told me i had a panic attack during the reaction. my point is this most likely wasnt their fault.

Do you know anything at all about epidurals? Like where they are given or how they function? They dampen nerve innervation below the point of entry for a small period of time. Typically they are given between the 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae, which are just above your tailbone. The purpose is to numb pain. Given in the wrong area, however, they affect any nerve. That includes the nerves responsible for prompting your diaphragm to contract (breathe in) and relax (breathe out). That also affects your heart. Giving an epidural in the wrong spot is malpractice. It risked her life and required additional medical costs for life support that the hospital will want her insurance to pay. It risked her life, so she should sue.

Medical costs are rising because of several reasons; increased life expectancy comes with longer care, medical innovation treats patients that would have died, increasing cost of administration because of increasingly complex pricing and billing, and more nefariously, price gouging by medical companies raising the cost of medicine for short term profit over long term sustainability because they can. Contrary to popular belief, medical malpractice lawsuits have remained stable and do not play a significant role in rising medical costs.