Anesthesia is necessary for operations and for many medical procedures, but anesthesia errors can result in serious and fatal harm to patients. Whether you plan for a surgical procedure or require an emergency surgery, you should be able to expect that the anesthesiologist who administers anesthesia to you will closely review your medical history and will supply anesthesia in the proper amount and at the appropriate time. For most patients in surgeries or other procedures that require anesthesia, the anesthesiologist will administer anesthesia correctly, yet there are many different situations in which anesthesia errors occur. If you were injured because of an anesthesia error, you should seek advice from an attorney as soon as possible. You may be eligible to file a claim for financial compensation.
Common Types of Roanoke Anesthesia Errors
There are many different kinds of mistakes that can result in anesthesia errors and patient harm. The following are examples of common types of anesthesia errors that affect patients in Virginia:
- Anesthesiologist does not administer anesthesia in a timely manner, resulting in severe pain or the delay of the surgical procedure;
- Anesthesiologist administers too much anesthesia;
- Anesthesiologist does not administer enough anesthesia, resulting in severe pain during the surgical procedure;
- Surgeon, nurse, or other healthcare providers in the operating room fail to monitor patient appropriately while the patient is under anesthesia;
- Anesthesiologist or surgeon fails to accurately read patient’s medical history or medical records and orders or administers anesthesia that results in a serious or fatal allergic reaction or adverse drug interaction;
- Anesthesiologist administers the incorrect type of anesthesia;
- Surgeon does not provide patient with appropriate steps to take prior to the administration of anesthesia; or
- Anesthesia drugs are defective, or the anesthesia devices used to administer anesthesia during the operation or procedure are defective.
Elements of a Claim for Anesthesia Errors in Roanoke, VA
In order to be eligible to file an anesthesia error claim, you will need to be able to prove the elements of a medical malpractice claim. While you should always discuss the specific elements of your claim with a Roanoke medical malpractice attorney, the general elements you will need to prove include the following:
- Anesthesiologist or surgeon (whoever was negligent) owed you a duty of care through the doctor-patient relationship;
- Anesthesiologist or surgeon breached the duty of care by acting negligently in the administration of anesthesia;
- You suffered a harm; and
- Your harm resulted from the negligence of the anesthesiologist or surgeon.
File Your Anesthesia Error Claim On Time
According to Virginia law, you will likely have two years from the date of the anesthesia error to file a claim for financial compensation. Once that two-year time window has closed, you will have a time-barred claim and will be ineligible for compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit. Do not wait to get started on your case.
Contact Our Roanoke Anesthesia Error Lawyers Today
If you or someone you love suffered an anesthesia error, our anesthesia error attorneys can help. Contact MichieHamlett to learn more about filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in Virginia.