As a patient, you never want to think about the possibility of an anesthesia error occurring. Anesthesia complications can lead to serious health risks and consequences, even wrongful death. Many clients always ask who is at risk in these situations. Is it the anesthesiologist? What if the patient did not inform the doctor of their complete medical history before going into surgery? Was the anesthesiologist made aware of the patient's medical history prior to the incident? These are all relevant questions to ask your medical malpractice attorney.
Did you know that in regards to wrongful diagnosis in the U.S., the number of anesthesia errors and complications in 2000 was 0.724 per 1,000 surgery discharges? This is still a frightening number considering how many surgeries happen on a daily basis. In order to get a better idea of how prevalent this problem is, here are a few more statistics. In the Unites States, in the years 1990-96, there was $752,770,562 made in payments to anesthesia error victims in medical malpractice cases. Of all anesthesia related malpractice claims that were made within 1990-92, the median payment was around $93,750. Later in 2002, there were 467 medical malpractice payments that were made as a result of anesthesia error. Here at The Tolson Firm, LLC, we want to help keep people informed so you can avoid being the next statistic. That is why it is very important that your doctor, nurse, surgeon and anesthesiologist are all intimately familiar with your medical history and any allergies that you may have, prior to surgery.
Many believe that anesthesia complications can only occur when you go into surgery at the hospital; however, this is not always the case. Anesthesia errors can happen in nearly any office setting, whether you are in a surgery center, a hospital, urgent care, a doctor's office or even a dentist office. They can even occur in pre-op or post-op. Many different factors can cause an anesthesia complication, most are a result of doctor/anesthesiologist negligence. The following are the most common reasons for anesthesia error:
- Not enough anesthesia
- Too much anesthesia
- Allergic reactions
- Bad Drug interactions
- Negligence
- Not properly monitoring the patient
- Late delivery
If you have fallen victim to an anesthesia complication, you may experience certain side effects. The side effects include, but are not limited to: sore throat, allergic reactions, anxiety, severe injury or in some cases, wrongful death. If you have experienced any of these symptoms or you have lost a loved one due to anesthesia error, be sure to speak with an Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer at our firm today. We have successfully litigated million dollar cases and we can help you recover the full amount of restitution that you deserve.