NOTE: Our law firm does not handle medical malpractice cases. This article is for informational purposes only. Information found in the article does not constitute as formal legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship.
Were you or a family member injured following a medical procedure involving anesthesia? If so, you may be eligible to receive compensation by filing a medical malpractice claim against the anesthesiologist and other negligent parties.
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What Is an Anesthesiologist?
When a patient undergoes surgery, an anesthesiologist is the doctor who administers the medication that keeps the patient comfortable and pain-free during the procedure. While other doctors may specialize in a particular area of medicine, anesthesiologists focus on pain management for all medical issues.
The purpose of anesthesia is to relieve pain and sedate patients. It can be administered as “local” anesthesia to affect a particular area of the body or “general” to affect the entire body.
During the procedure, anesthesiologists monitor vital signs, document what’s happening, and dispense medication as needed. The job is critical and can make all the difference in whether the patient suffers severe injury or even death.
What Injuries Are Common in Anesthesia Malpractice?
The Journal of Healthcare Risk Management shared a study on anesthesia injuries, and the most common were:
- Teeth damage due to intubation (20.8 %)
- Death (18.3 %)
- Nerve damage (13.5 %)
- Organ damage (12.7 %)
- Heart attack (10.7 %)
Other injuries resulting from anesthesia errors include:
- Brain injury
- Coma
- Stroke
- Paralysis
- Kidney failure
- Birth injuries
- Asphyxia
No matter what injuries you sustained in your particular case, an experienced medical malpractice lawyer can help you fight for compensation. You shouldn’t have to bear the physical, emotional, and financial burden on your own. The parties responsible for your injuries should have to pay.
What Causes Anesthesia Errors?
The most common factors that lead to anesthesia-related injuries include:
- Improper intubation
- Not taking patient allergies into consideration
- Ineffective monitoring of vital signs
- Not administering oxygen
- Defective equipment
- Dosage error
- Lack of communication
When you go into surgery, you trust the doctors and healthcare professionals responsible for your care. When the unimaginable happens and you come out of surgery with an injury, you have every right to hold the negligent parties accountable.
If you believe you have a medical malpractice claim, call us. We can refer you to a lawyer who handles these cases.