Medical malpractice is an issue that plagues millions of individuals in New Jersey and the rest of the U.S. each year. Whether a doctor prescribes an improper medication or an issue arises during a surgical procedure, it is important to understand your rights as a patient or as an advocate of a loved one. If you believe an anesthesia mistake was involved with your case, it is imperative to understand what constitutes medical malpractice.
The importance of proper anesthesia
Anesthesia plays an important role in any medical procedure that involves the sedation of a patient. Keeping a patient sedated and unconscious is essential to mitigate pain responses and to keep the patient in a stable condition throughout surgeries. It is possible for medical malpractice to arise from anesthesia errors if the anesthesiologist miscalculates the dosage of anesthetic or is not properly monitoring the patient throughout the procedure itself.
Common anesthesia mistakes
Anesthesia mistakes, though uncommon, do occur at times. Some of the most common anesthesia-related mistakes involve improper dosing due to incorrect calculations based on a patient’s height, weight and medical history. Waking up during surgery, paralysis, stroke, brain damage, comas and even death can all occur under an anesthesiologist’s watch, which is why anesthesia administration is serious. There are both short and long-term potential consequences for medical malpractice issues that arise during procedures in which a patient is sedated and unconscious.
Understanding your malpractice case when anesthesia is involved is necessary whether you have suffered short- or long-term consequences due to the anesthesiologist’s fault. An attorney who understands the significance of anesthesia may guide you through the necessary steps you need to take to present your case in a court of law.