How Common are Anesthesia Errors During Surgery?
If you or a loved one has been the victim of an anesthesia error, you already know how quickly life can change and how devastating the consequences may be. You’re likely facing medical bills, lost wages, and emotional trauma. You need an experienced medical malpractice lawyer on your side to get the compensation you need to move forward.
Here are some common mistakes made by anesthesiologists and who to call if you or a family member are hurt by medical malpractice.
Administering the Wrong Medication
Anesthesiologists have many medications at their disposal, and it is easy to make a mistake and grab the wrong medication when time is short or there is an emergency or distraction in the operating room. This error can have serious consequences for patients, including death.
Not Checking for Allergies
Rare allergies to anesthesia can cause patients to have a reaction that can cause serious illness or even death if not caught and reversed early enough during the procedure. Doctors may also miss allergies to certain medications or latex if they don’t perform a complete health history questionnaire before the surgery.
Not Consistently Monitoring the Patient’s Vitals
A patient’s vital signs must be closely monitored during surgery, as they can change rapidly and unexpectedly. Anesthesiologists must be vigilant in order to catch any changes and take appropriate action, such as giving medication to raise or lower blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate.
An anesthesiologist must also make sure the patient stays asleep and doesn’t wake up during the procedure, which requires a consistent delivery of medication throughout the surgery.
Being Unprepared
Surgeons and anesthesiologists must be prepared for any outcome during a procedure. If they don’t have the right medications or tools on hand for emergencies, a patient could become injured or die of something that could have been prevented had the physician been adequately prepared.
The Consequences of Making an Anesthesia Error
An anesthesia error can have serious financial, legal, and career consequences for the doctor involved. Depending on the severity of the error, the doctor could face a medical malpractice lawsuit. If the patient suffers serious injuries or dies as a result of the error, the doctor could be looking at significant financial damages. In addition, their medical license could be at risk if they are found to have acted negligently.
Get Legal Help After Medical Malpractice
If you or someone you know has been injured due to a negligent medical provider, you should get legal help right away. There are statutes of limitation to consider, and a lengthy delay could be misinterpreted as lack of seriousness on your part. Don’t wait to obtain legal representation. At the Nail Law Firm, we know you’re looking at mounting medical bills, dwindling wages, and a long road to recovery after being injured by a negligent doctor.
Anesthesia errors are unfortunately common, and often occur due to simple negligence on the part of the doctor or medical staff. If something like this has happened to you or someone in your family, you’re not alone. You may be entitled to financial compensation as a result of your injuries, but you will need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney to claim the full and fair restitution you deserve.
Contact the Nail Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation to discuss the potential legal options that may be available to you.
