Key Takeaways:
- Anesthesia errors are often preventable and can lead to severe consequences, including permanent injury or wrongful death.
- Victims and families may have legal recourse, including wrongful death or medical malpractice claims.
- Lambrou Law Firm can help navigate these complex cases and pursue the justice you deserve.
Going under anesthesia for surgery can be unnerving. The purpose of it is to give the patient a controlled, temporary loss of awareness. While generally safe, errors such as medical dosage inaccuracies and failures to protect the airway can result in devastating consequences, including permanent injury or even death. While the risk of dying from anesthesia has declined tenfold since the 1970s, there is still about one death in every 100,000 to 200,000 procedures.
At Lambrou Law Firm, we understand the pain and confusion families experience when a loved one suffers due to a medical provider’s negligence. As experienced personal injury attorneys, we’re committed to helping you understand your rights and legal options after an anesthesia-related tragedy.
What Are Common Mistakes Associated With Anesthesia?
An anesthesia error refers to a mistake or act of negligence that occurs before, during, or after the administration of anesthesia. Anesthesia errors can cause a range of complications, from mild symptoms to catastrophic harm or death. Short-term effects may include nausea or vomiting, dizziness, confusion, or mild allergic reactions. More serious complications can lead to brain damage, paralysis, coma, or even death.
Two out of every 100 inpatients in a hospital experience a preventable adverse drug event. While no medical procedure is entirely risk-free, many anesthesia errors are avoidable and fall into this category. The causes often stem from human error, system failures, or miscommunication within the surgical team.
Frequent causes include:
- Dosage Errors: Administering too much or too little anesthesia;
- Failure to Protect the Airway: The tube used to intubate the patient isn’t maintained properly;
- Failure to Monitor: Inadequate tracking of vital signs during surgery;
- Intubation Mistakes: Errors in managing the patient’s airway can lead to oxygen deprivation;
- Allergic Reactions: Failure to check for drug allergies or medical history;
- Poor Communication: Misunderstandings between surgical team members;
- Equipment Failure: Faulty or poorly maintained anesthesia machines or monitors;
- Incorrect Patient Information: Misidentification or missing health details;
- Medication Errors: Using the wrong medication or delivery method.
How to Prevent Anesthesia Errors
Prevention of anesthesia-related harm is possible through a combination of vigilance, training, and communication. Hospitals and surgical teams must follow rigorous safety standards and protocols. Key preventative strategies include:
- Thorough Preoperative Assessment: Review of patient’s medical history, medications, and allergies;
- Effective Communication: Use of surgical checklists and pre-op team briefings;
- Continuous Monitoring: Real-time tracking of heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood pressure;
- Adherence to Protocols: Following anesthesia best practices and dosage guidelines;
- Equipment Maintenance: Routine checks of anesthesia machines and monitors;
- Ongoing Education: Regular training for anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists.
Legal Options for Victims and Families
If you or a loved one has suffered harm or a fatal outcome due to an anesthesia error, you may be entitled to compensation under medical malpractice or wrongful death statutes. There are two primary options. You may be able to file a wrongful death claim, which is used when a patient dies due to anesthesia-related negligence. Additionally, a medical malpractice lawsuit may be applicable for non-fatal cases involving serious injury or lasting harm.
In these legal options, you may recover damages from:
- Medical Expenses: to cover hospital bills, surgical procedures, medications, and other treatment costs;
- Pain and Suffering: to compensate for the physical pain and suffering caused before death;
- Emotional Distress of the Family After The Death: to compensate the family members for all they suffer emotionally as a result of the death of their loved one; (NOT IN ALL STATES)
- Lost Wages or Future Income: for income lost due to time away from work or an inability to return;
- Loss of Consortium or Companionship: to address the emotional impact on spouses or family members.
The statute of limitations varies by state, so it’s critical to act quickly. A personal injury firm like Lambrou Law, which litigates these cases in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida, can help you gather the required evidence, including medical records, surgical reports, expert testimony, and witness statements. An experienced attorney like Lambros Y. Lambrou can investigate your claim, consult with medical experts, and advocate aggressively for your rights in court or settlement discussions.
Steps to Take if You Suspect an Anesthesia Error
If you think you experienced an anesthesia error or that a loved one passed away due to one, you don’t have to suffer alone. Acting quickly and strategically can improve your chances of a successful legal claim.
Here’s what you should do:
- Consult The Lambrou Law Team: Legal guidance is critical early on;
- Request Medical Records: Get copies of your complete treatment file;
- Document Symptoms and Events: Keep notes about what happened and how symptoms developed;
- Seek an Independent Medical Review: A second opinion can help validate your concerns.
Compassionate Guidance: Your Path Forward With Lambrou Law
At Lambrou Law Firm, we know how devastating anesthesia-related injuries and deaths can be. Our team is deeply experienced in medical malpractice and wrongful death cases in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Pennsylvania. We have successfully represented clients in complex cases involving surgical errors, misdiagnoses, anesthesia negligence, birth injuries to infants, and delayed diagnosis cases. We’ve recovered up to $7 million for a single medical malpractice lawsuit and many millions of dollars over nearly three decades.
If you suspect that an anesthesia error led to the injury or death of a loved one, we urge you to contact us for a free, confidential consultation. Your loved one’s life and your peace of mind matter to us. Let us fight for you.
