Medical and Dental Malpractice Involving Anesthesiology Errors
Anesthesia is commonly used during medical and dental procedures, making it possible for patients to undergo procedures without pain. While anesthesia is safely administered to most patients, there are situations where errors with anesthesia use can cause significant harm.
A medical malpractice attorney can help victims of anesthesia errors recover compensation for their injuries and damages. At Moody Law, our medical malpractice lawyers serve Lakeland, FL, and Winter Haven, FL, and can determine if you have a case for medical or dental malpractice if you were harmed by an anesthesiology error.
About Anesthesia
Anesthesia is used during medical and dental procedures to keep patients comfortable and pain-free while undergoing procedures. Anesthesia involves different types of medications to either block pain in a specific area while keeping the patient awake or making the patient unconscious so they can’t feel or remember their surgery or dental procedure. The different types of anesthesia include:
- General anesthesia: General anesthesia medications are administered intravenously or breathed through a mask to cause the patient to fall asleep and stay unconscious throughout their procedure.
- Regional anesthesia: Regional anesthesia blocks pain to a specific area of the body via an injection of medication near nerves of the area requiring surgery. Epidural and spinal blocks are two common types of regional anesthesia. Both provide pain relief below the waist while allowing the patient to stay conscious.
- Local anesthesia: Local anesthesia involves numbing an area of the body and is usually used for minor procedures.
Examples of Anesthesia Malpractice
When administering anesthesia, medical professionals are expected to practice a reasonable standard of care. For example, patients under general anesthesia must be continually monitored and anesthesia medications must be adjusted to keep their heart rate, oxygen levels, and other vital signs stable.
When an anesthesiologist or other medical professional makes a negligent error with anesthesia, it can cause serious injury to a patient. Some possible types of anesthesia malpractice include:
- Giving the wrong dosage of anesthesia
- Giving too little anesthesia resulting in the patient waking during surgery
- Administering the wrong anesthesia drug or wrong type of anesthesia
- Failing to monitor the patient while under anesthesia
- Leaving a patient sedated too long
Complications from Anesthesia Malpractice
Errors in administering and monitoring anesthesia can cause serious injuries to patients. Some possible complications include:
- Nerve damage, both temporary or permanent
- Serious allergic reaction or “anaphylaxis”
- Paralysis
- Brain damage
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Death
Seek Compensation for Anesthesia Malpractice
Seeking compensation for injuries through a medical malpractice lawsuit requires proving that medical errors were caused by a medical professional being negligent or failing to meet the accepted standard of care resulting in harm to the patient.
A medical malpractice attorney can gather evidence, including medical records and expert testimony, to help prove medical malpractice occurred and recover compensation for such damages as:
- Medical expenses
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
Schedule a Consultation with Moody Law
If you were injured or harmed while under anesthesia and believe medical malpractice occurred, you are encouraged to schedule a consultation with our Lakeland attorneys. The attorneys of Moody Law can review the details of your claim to help determine if you have a strong case.