Victim Of An Anesthesia Error

 

If you’ve experienced an anesthesia complication, or have been affected by an anesthesia error, you know these risks all too well. If you have suffered as a result of an anesthesia error or medical malpractice, there are several things you should know.

 

Local anesthesia is the most common form of anesthesia. Local anesthesia is usually injected to numb a specific area of the body prior to surgery. General anesthesia, on the other hand, results in unconsciousness, and causes the entire body to become unaware of pain. Since general anesthesia involves the brain, the risks are generally more serious than they are with local anesthesia. General anesthesia has caused heart attacks, strokes and aspiration in surgical patients under certain conditions.

 

If you have suffered injuries as a result of an anesthesia error, you are probably wondering about medical malpractice. You may be surprised to know that anesthesia is a common complaint in medical malpractice lawsuits. 467 surgical patients received medical malpractice settlements in one year alone as a result of anesthesia errors. The average payment was $245,935 for medical malpractice settlements paid out to victims from 1990 to 2002.

If you have suffered an anesthesia complication, you may wish to see a psychologist once your physical wounds have healed. Anesthesia complications can cause severe emotional distress, sleep disturbances, nightmares, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. A trained psychologist can help you process the trauma and cope with the emotional aftermath of a surgical error.

 

You should also visit an accident attorney specializing in medial malpractice, ideally one who specializes in anesthesia cases. As discussed earlier, improper dosing or monitoring of anesthesia is a common compliant in medical malpractice lawsuits. An attorney specializing in these cases can help you navigate the legal system and get the proper settlement for your pain and suffering. According to the National Practitioner Data Bank, the number of anesthesia-related medical malpractice lawsuits has decreased since 1991, but the average payout has increased.