Thiamine Deficiency Malpractice Lawyer In Columbus, Ohio
Thiamine deficiency kills brain cells within days. When hospitals fail to recognize and treat it, patients develop permanent brain damage from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Colley Shroyer Abraham represents families whose loved ones suffered devastating neurological injuries because doctors missed the warning signs.
Our firm currently represents the plaintiff in Lyon v. Riverside Methodist Hospital, the most significant thiamine deficiency malpractice case in Ohio history, now before the Ohio Supreme Court. No other Columbus law firm is involved in this landmark case. If your family member developed Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome after a hospital stay, surgery or extended medical treatment, we can review your case.
What Is Thiamine Deficiency And Why Do Doctors Miss It?
Thiamine is Vitamin B1. Your body cannot make it on its own, but your brain needs it to function. Deficiency develops fast in high-risk hospital settings that doctors see every day. Patients face higher risk in these situations:
- During long hospital stays
- After bariatric or gastric bypass surgery
- During severe pregnancy nausea
- When receiving IV nutrition without B1 added
- With alcohol use disorder
- During cancer treatment or chemotherapy
Doctors frequently miss thiamine deficiency because symptoms look like other conditions. Testing is not always routine. The standard of care requires doctors to recognize risk factors and supplement before problems start. This includes giving thiamine before glucose-containing IV fluids in high-risk patients, because glucose can speed up the onset of Wernicke’s encephalopathy in B1-deficient patients. When physicians fail to follow this protocol, patients suffer catastrophic and often permanent brain damage.
Wernicke’s Encephalopathy And Korsakoff Syndrome
Wernicke’s encephalopathy is the first stage. Doctors can reverse it if they catch it early. The classic three symptoms include:
- Mental confusion or disorientation
- Abnormal eye movements (nystagmus)
- Trouble walking (ataxia)
The issue is that the classic three symptoms appear in only a small number of cases, and physicians cannot wait for all three symptoms to appear before treating. With prompt IV thiamine treatment, most Wernicke’s patients can recover.
Korsakoff syndrome is the second stage. At this point, doctors cannot reverse most of the damage. This condition causes severe memory problems, including:
- Not being able to form new memories
- Losing old memories (retrograde amnesia)
- Making up false memories (confabulation)
- Not being able to live independently
Only about 25% of patients with Korsakoff become completely well, while about 25% require lifelong 24-hour care. The remaining 50% experience partial recovery but continue to have significant memory problems and need ongoing support. Doctors can prevent the progression from Wernicke’s to Korsakoff by giving timely thiamine treatment.
When Failure To Diagnose Constitutes Medical Malpractice In Ohio
Failure to diagnose leads to malpractice claims. These cases include:
- Not testing for thiamine deficiency in at-risk patients
- Not giving thiamine early enough in high-risk hospital settings
- Not recognizing early symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy
- Waiting too long to treat after symptoms appear
- Waiting too long to treat in the emergency room
- Giving glucose IV without thiamine first
Under Ohio law, patients harmed by a physician’s or hospital’s failure to meet the standard of care may have a medical malpractice claim. Recoverable damages include medical bills, lost wages, lifetime care costs, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and caregiver costs. In cases of wrongful death, you need to talk to a lawyer right away. These cases often involve substantial damages because Korsakoff syndrome frequently requires permanent, round-the-clock care.
Lyon V. Riverside Methodist Hospital: Ohio’s Landmark Thiamine Deficiency Case
A patient suffered permanent neurological damage after physicians failed to diagnose a thiamine deficiency that unfortunately led to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. A Franklin County jury awarded more than $25 million. The case is now before the Ohio Supreme Court (Case No. 2025-1317), where the court is reviewing whether Ohio’s cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases is constitutional.
David Shroyer and Tyler Shroyer of Colley Shroyer Abraham represent the plaintiff in this case. This is the most significant thiamine deficiency malpractice case in Ohio history, and our firm’s work on this case reflects our commitment to holding healthcare systems accountable when they fail patients.
Contact A Columbus Thiamine Deficiency Malpractice Attorney Today
If your loved one developed Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome after a hospital stay, surgery or medical treatment, contact Colley Shroyer Abraham for a free consultation. Call us at 614-678-5072 or send us a message through the online form. We represent families throughout Columbus and central Ohio in complex medical malpractice cases involving failure to diagnose and treat vitamin B1 deficiency.