Surgery can be a terrifying thought to many people, especially when anesthesia is necessary. If your doctor says something along the lines of, “Not to worry, we will put you to sleep temporarily,” it most likely will not reassure you. Patients may wonder if they might still feel pain while unable to move or whether they won’t wake up at all.
Although anesthesia seems frightening, it is mostly safe and reliable when used properly. However, some medical providers may fail to follow precautions and guidelines for safe use. These issues are preventable, which makes this type of malpractice all the more tragic.
Anesthesiologist malpractice can take place in several ways. First, your provider could fail to properly consult your medical records to check any conditions that could affect your dose of anesthesia. Second, they may fail to monitor your levels of anesthesia during the procedure, which makes it more likely that you could wake up in the middle of surgery. A third common type of malpractice is anesthesia overdose. Overdosing a patient can lead to serious harm and, potentially, death.
Pregnant women usually receive epidural anesthesia during labor, so they face additional danger. Women in labor require especially vigilant care in this vulnerable time to avoid birth injuries.
Anesthesia errors can cause major damage. If you suffered an anesthesia-related injury from negligent or intentional malpractice, an attorney can help you assess your claim. You may be able to seek compensation in court for trauma that could have been prevented.
