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What Constitutes Anesthesia Medical Malpractice?

Millions of Americans head into surgery each day. Typically, anesthesia is used to ensure the patient doesn’t feel any pain, and in many cases, the patient isn’t awake during the surgery at all. Modern-day medicine, including anesthesia, has given doctors the opportunity to accomplish many impressive surgical feats. 

Unfortunately, every medical procedure involves some risks, especially when anesthesia is used. Doctors must be able to provide the right dosage and continually monitor the patient while they undergo surgery to make sure that nothing goes wrong. Negligence in these delicate medical situations can have detrimental effects on a patient and their family. If you believe that you have been a victim of anesthesia medical malpractice, there are a few steps you should take to determine whether or not you are entitled to compensation. Here’s what you should know.

Negligence Regarding Anesthesia

Medical malpractice occurs when a patient is harmed by a doctor who fails to appropriately perform his or her medical duties. This can include cases of anesthesia error. Issues with anesthesia dosage and administration can originate not only from the anesthesiologist themselves, but from other involved healthcare providers, as well. 

The following are examples of mistakes that can be made when anesthesia is involved in a medical procedure:

• Giving too much anesthesia
• Not giving enough anesthesia
• Administering the wrong type of anesthesia
• Failing to properly intubate the patient
• Failing to account for possible reactions with a patient’s other medications
• Not properly monitoring the patient while under anesthesia
• Anesthesia is administered at the wrong time
• Poor communication

This is just a small list of problems that could arise during the use of anesthesia on a patient. If you believe that your anesthesiologist or another healthcare provider caused you harm while you were under the influence of the drug, you should seek expert legal advice immediately. The attorneys at Friedman & Friedman are experienced in handling medical malpractice claims and will help you determine whether or not you have a legitimate case. 

Injuries From Anesthesia Negligence

Unfortunately, negligence in the use of anesthesia can result in severe injuries and lifelong complications for patients. In some cases, a healthcare provider’s negligence can result in death. 

The following is just a small sampling of the injuries and complications that could arise in the case of anesthesia negligence:

• Heart attack
• Brain or organ failure
• Seizure
• Stroke
• Asphyxia
• Allergic reaction
• Throat damage
• Nerve damage
• Birth defects in pregnant mothers

What Should You Do After Anesthesia Malpractice?

The complications and injuries that can occur from a healthcare provider’s negligence while using anesthesia can be severe or even fatal. It is imperative that you seek proper legal representation in order to receive compensation for the damages. Proving medical malpractice cases can be quite complicated. Not only are the anesthesiologists liable in a case of negligence, but the hospital the surgery was performed in, any attending personnel, the pharmacist, or anyone else that could be proven to have contributed could be held liable, as well. 

There are several elements that must be proven true in order for a medical malpractice claim to be valid. You must be able to show the following:

• A doctor-patient relationship was present
• The doctor breached their duty of care
• The breach of duty caused harm
• You suffered significant damages

Furthermore, medical malpractice claims must be filed within two years after the discovery of the malpractice under the Florida statute of limitations. However, there are some unique exceptions to this rule, such as in cases of fraud, concealment, or intentional misrepresentation. This is why it is critical to reach out to an experienced malpractice attorney who can fully understand your case and offer you sound legal counsel. 

Your Miami Medical Malpractice Attorney 

If you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of medical malpractice involving anesthesia, then you should seek immediate legal representation. The attorneys at Friedman & Friedman have won hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our medical malpractice clients. Your main focus should be healing from your injuries at this time, not struggling to fight a legal battle alone. We’ll take it from here by working tirelessly to get you the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact us today to learn more about how our experienced attorneys can help. 

-Marvin

Tue Oct 8, 12:05pm