Anesthesia is a necessary procedure for invasive medical procedures and surgeries. Anesthesia itself is generally not a risky procedure; only when someone makes a careless mistake do patients end up being seriously injured or killed. If you were injured or a loved one lost their life because of an anesthesia error, which is a violation of a duty of care, you are entitled to personal injury or wrongful death compensation, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of joy of life, emotional distress, lost wages and earning capacity, and more. The Tampa anesthesia error lawyers at Freidin Brown, P.A. have been helping anesthesia error victims for more than 45 years, and have the experience and resources to ensure that you receive the compensation you are owed.
What is Anesthesia and Why is it Necessary?
Anesthesia is not a particular type of drug; it is simply the term used to describe the medically induced state of amnesia, unconsciousness, or loss of sensation required for surgery. Without amnesia, surgery and many other medical procedures, such as intubation, would not be possible due to the extreme pain, discomfort, and fear that the patient would have to endure. Depending on the concoction of drugs used, an anesthetized patient may undergo analgesia (inability to feel pain) amnesia, paralysis, and/or unconsciousness.
What Can Go Wrong During Anesthesia and Sedation?
There are a number of moderate side effects that most patients go through after being anesthetized. These include confusion, memory loss, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and a sore throat if a breathing tube was inserted. However, there are much worse problems than these if the anesthesia doctor made a dosing or monitoring error. Depending on the type of anesthesia administered (including sedation, local anesthesia, spinal tap, and epidural), serious injury and life-threatening complications can include:
- Awareness under anesthesia
- Tooth damage
- Lacerations to the mouth
- Nerve injury
- Allergic reaction
- Malignant hyperthermia
- Post-dural-puncture headache (PDPH)
- Brain damage
- Aspiration pneumonitis
- Respiratory depression
- Stroke
- Hypoxic brain injury
- Urinary infection
- Embolic event
- Spinal cord damage
- Spinal infection
- Cardiovascular collapse
- Cardiac arrest
- Death
Injured Due to Anesthesia Errors? Contact Us for Help!
How Anesthesia Errors Usually Occur
If you suffered an anesthesia injury, or were injured during surgery or during a medical procedure because of an anesthesia mistake, you have the right to file a medical malpractice claim against the liable physician or other medical parties responsible. Common anesthesia errors include:
- Dosage error
- Failure to monitor the patient
- Failure to recognize and/or react to an anesthesia complication
- Failure to inform the patient of instructions
- Delayed delivery of medications
- Prolonged sedation
- Defective medical equipment
- Failure to properly intubate the patient
- Turning the pulse oximeter alarm off
Call a Tampa Anesthesia Error Lawyer Today
Anesthesiologists, surgeons, supporting physicians, nurses, and other medical personnel understand the risks associated with anesthetizing a patient, and the responsibility they have for ensuring that patient’s safety. To hold the at-fault party accountable for their medical negligence, you need to contact an experienced Tampa anesthesia error lawyer at Freidin Brown, P.A. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.