Anesthesia Errors That Lead To A Medical Malpractice Case

According to statistics, there are around 48.3 million surgical procedures performed every year in the U.S. With this, the health sector has tried by all means to ensure they deliver quality health care to these patients. Nevertheless, even with the modern operating room equipment such as anesthesia machines, fatal and non-fatal mistakes continue to be recorded. Anesthesia mistakes are far much risky compared to surgical ones. The fact is, even a minor error can lead to brain damage or even the death of the patient. When such happens to a patient, one may have a right to file a lawsuit. If you or your loved one has been subjected to anesthesia error, you can look for Anchorage medical malpractice attorney to help you determine whether you have a valid medical malpractice claim.

Anesthesia Errors

Anesthesia requires an anesthesiologist to administer and monitor the effect of the drugs on a patient. If this does not happen, then anesthesia errors occur. Anesthesia errors can happen either before an operation or after. Some of the reasons that lead to pre-operation errors include:

• Failure to take the correct patient’s medical history for any complications
• Failure to determine the best combination of drugs to use
• Failure to give proper advice on what to do before surgery, such as not eating before surgery

Errors that may happen after surgery include:

• Administering too much or little medication
• Use of defective equipment
• Failure to intubate
• Failure to monitor the patient’s vital signs

Whether it’s a local, general, or regional anesthesia, the complications can be fatal. Some patients who are victims of anesthesia have been known to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders or sleeping problems, among other severe illnesses after becoming aware of the injuries caused by negligence. Although the above errors can result from many factors, the main reason behind this is always negligence. In such a situation, the anesthesiologist can be held accountable for any injuries or death as a result.  

Determining Damages In Anesthesia Errors

Often, it becomes difficult to determine whether anesthesia error has been caused by negligence. The reason is that not all errors can result in medical malpractice. However, a seasoned lawyer in the field of medical malpractice can determine whether you may have a claim. The patient or a family member can seek damages depending on the severity of injuries suffered. Some of these damages may include future medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of income, among others.

Speak To An Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Have you or your loved one been subjected to anesthesia errors that have resulted in injuries or death? You don’t have to use your money to cater for future medical costs due to the errors. You should speak with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer. Anesthesia errors cases are quite complicated. A good lawyer can fight for you and ensure you get the compensation you deserve. The best part is that you will not be required to pay any fee until your case wins. Therefore, you can choose to increase the chances of success by hiring a lawyer.