When An Anesthesiologist Makes A Medical Mistake
At large, anesthesiologists are responsible for administering anesthesia to patients during surgery. Administering anesthesia involves putting a patient in a state of controlled and temporary loss of sensation or awareness.
There are three types of anesthesia.
- General Anesthesia, which is usually used in major operations like open-heart surgery. General anesthesia causes a patient to lose consciousness.
- Regional Anesthesia, which is used to anesthetize only a part of a patient’s body. This type of anesthesia is often used during birth and surgeries of the leg, arm, or abdomen. With regional anesthesia, a patient remains aware.
- Local Anesthesia, which is whereby numbing medication is applied to a small area. With this type of anesthesia, a patient remains awake.
Anesthesia errors can be life-altering. If an anesthesiologist makes a mistake, a patient could end up with a permanent injury or even dead. When medical professionals take the Hippocratic Oath, they promise to do their best to protect their patients. Unfortunately, since medical professionals are only human beings, and human beings are prone to making mistakes, medical errors are common. One of the most serious medical errors that can occur is an anesthesia error.
Anesthesiology is complex, and due to that complexity, an anesthesiologist is prone to committing all manner of mistakes that can compromise a patient’s life. Nonetheless, when an anesthesiologist makes a mistake out of negligence, it is the right of a severely injured patient to seek compensation. In Florida, damages suffered because of injuries resulting from an anesthesia mistake may be compensable. As long as a plaintiff can prove that medical negligence caused their severe injuries, they can be compensated for damages incurred. Generally, in Florida, a negligent anesthesiologist who breaches the prevailing professional standard of care and causes a victim to suffer severe injuries and incur damages can be held answerable in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Common Anesthesia Errors
Anesthesia errors can happen during pre-operation, in the operation room, or even after an operation when a patient is recovering. Some of the common mistakes that anesthesiologists commit after overlooking potential issues or due to poor judgment include;
- Delivering the wrong anesthetic drug or amount of anesthetic drug to a patient because of failing to assess a patient’s medical history thoroughly.
- Negligently failing to monitor a patient properly.
- Failing to properly intubate. This can lead to breathing issues.
- Failing to educate a patient about alcohol and food restrictions before the procedure.
- Using defective equipment that may lead to incorrect dosage.
- Failing to avoid allergic reactions.
Potential Risks of Anesthesia Errors
When any of the errors mentioned above are made, or any other anesthesia error not mentioned above is made, the resulting injuries can be catastrophic. Some of the common injuries that can result from anesthesia errors include;
- Nerve injury
- Allergic reaction
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Damage to the larynx
- Blood clotting
- Jaundice
- Coma
- Birth defects such as asphyxia
- Respiratory problems
- Brain damage
- Internal bleeding
- Death
Why You Need an Attorney After Suffering an Anesthesia-Related Injury
Anesthesia mistakes can cause life-altering injuries. Therefore, if you were a victim of a negligent anesthesiologist, you need to speak to an attorney right away. As a victim of medical negligence, it is your right to hold a negligent anesthesiologist accountable for their actions. When you file a Florida medical malpractice claim, you can be compensated not only for damages such as medical expenses but also for the pain and suffering you’ve had to endure.
Florida allows plaintiffs to file medical malpractice claims without involving attorneys. However, it would be best for you to let a skilled medical malpractice attorney help you. An attorney can help you deal with cunning insurance companies and hospitals who will do everything they can to get out of paying you what you deserve. At large, an attorney can;
- Examine the events that led to your injury or that of your loved one. If death is involved, an attorney can also help investigate the circumstances that led to the death of your loved one.
- Identify and find all liable parties.
- Find an expert witness who can be of help to your case.
- Determine the accurate value of your case.
- Ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
When it comes to proving liability, your attorney must show, with the help of an expert witness, that the anesthesiologist in question acted in a manner inconsistent with how another anesthesiologist would have acted in their situation.
Contact a Naples Personal Injury Attorney
If you, a loved one, or a close friend was a victim of an anesthesiologist’s negligence, contact one of our Naples personal injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., today at 239-649-8050 to schedule a consultation.
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