Understandably, the scary part about surgical procedures is that things can go wrong. Sometimes, these complications are beyond the attending medical professionals’ reasonable control. But it is all the more devastating if they are within their control and they simply make errors in judgment along the way. A common example of this is when a trusted anesthesiologist administers anesthesia incorrectly. That said, please follow along to find out what anesthesia mistakes might constitute medical malpractice and how a proficient New York City anesthesia error attorney at Mark L. Bodner, P.C. can help work on your legal case against the negligent anesthesiologist.
What are examples of anesthesia mistakes that constitute malpractice?
Before you enter the operating room for a surgical procedure, you may notice that the attending medical professionals are confirming and reconfirming your medical history (i.e., your known allergies, your current medications, your current medical condition, your family’s known medical history, etc). This is so they can help the anesthesiologist for your surgery get a handle on what type and dosage of anesthesia to administer. So if they fail to study up and apply this information to the type and dosage of anesthesia they go with, this may constitute medical malpractice.
In another example, the anesthesiologist is charged with constantly monitoring your vital signs throughout your surgery to make tweaks to the anesthesia as necessary. This entails checking your heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, breathing rate and pattern, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, and more. So if they fail to actively engage in this way, they may be rightfully accused of malpractice.
Quickly, other examples of anesthesiologist malpractice include using defective equipment during surgery; delaying the administration of anesthesia during surgery; failure to give proper instructions on eating and drinking before surgery; and more.
What are my chances of suing for malpractice after an anesthesia mistake?
Yes, your attending anesthesiologist may have failed to select the right type and dosage of anesthesia or adjust it throughout your surgery as necessary. But to have a certifiable medical malpractice claim on your hands, you must have proof that any other responsible anesthesiologist in the New York State medical community would not have made these mistakes. This may require you to obtain medical experts who may testify in your case proceedings.
Further, you must demonstrate that such anesthesia mistakes are directly linked to the surgical complications and subsequent injuries you experienced. Again, this may require evidence like your medical records that date back to your surgical procedure. Lastly, you must conclude with proof that these health complications and injuries caused further economic and non-economic damages to you. This may entail additional medical bills, extensive lost wages, emotional trauma, and more.
To better understand your legal rights in the matter at hand, please seek the advisement of a sound and talented New York City hospital negligence attorney. Please feel confident in knowing that our team at Mark L. Bodner, P.C. has significant experience in handling legal cases just like yours. So call us today.