Even though the role of an anesthesiologist can be just as important as the surgeon, most patients do not consider the importance of anesthesia until the day of the surgery. The aftermath of an anesthesia error can be very serious and often life-threatening. When a patient is injured as a result of an anesthesia error, he or she can suffer irreversible brain damage and other permanent injuries.
If you or someone you love sustained injuries as a result of anesthesia error, it is important to consider seeking legal advice. Following an anesthesia error, the victim may require extensive medical procedures, which may be very expensive. When the error was committed as a result of medical negligence, the victim may be able to recover compensation from the responsible medical staff member.
Recent Reports Involving Medical Error
According to a recent study published by the medical journal Johns Hopkins Medicine, errors involving the medicine practice are the third leading cause of death in the United States. The study claims that over 250,000 patients die every year as a result of medical error. Unfortunately, there is widespread discrepancy when it comes to the data reported. According to other reputable sources, however, the amount of deaths per year can be as high as 440,000 a year but because of the way in which the data is collected, the data is not entirely reliable.
In either report, medical error is represented as an indisputably a serious issue. Anesthesiologists who make a medical error can cause serious harm to unsuspecting patients.
Common Anesthesiologist Errors
Before an anesthesiologist can treat a patient, he or she will endure many years of education and professional training. Regardless, errors in the operating room can occur. Some of the most common anesthesiologist errors occur through the following forms:
- Neglecting to monitor the patient’s heart function or breathing
- Failing to recognize a patient’s change in alterations in his or her blood pressure during the procedure or failing to act on this condition
- Neglecting to monitor the patient’s oxygen level during the procedure
- Administering the incorrect anesthesia to the patient, which can affect his or her blood pressure
- Administering a high dosage of anesthesia, which can result in serious brain damage to the patient
- Administering a low dosage of anesthesia, which can cause a patient to remain awake during the medical procedure
- Neglecting to consider the patient’s other medications
After an Anesthesia Error, Consult an Experienced Attorney
Patients who suffer injuries following a medical error caused by negligence have the right to seek compensation. Filing a medical malpractice claim, however, is a complex legal matter that demands legal experience and skill. If you or someone you love was injured because of an anesthesia error, consult the legal support of a skilled law firm today.
The medical malpractice attorneys at SANFORD A. KASSEL, A Professional Law Corporation have many years of dedicated experience championing for those who have been injured as a result of anesthesia error. Medical malpractice claims involving anesthesia errors are time restricted in California. If you were injured as a result of medical negligence, consult an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
