More risky than many surgical procedures is the anesthesia administered during surgery. Many medical malpractice claims stem from this devastating source of negligence.
Anesthesiologists, as well as other healthcare professionals responsible for your anesthetization, can cause injury and death when they are careless in any of the phases of surgery, including:
- Pre-operatively, if the patient is not provided with proper instructions regarding what foods to avoid and other restrictions prior to the procedure, or if the patient’s medical history and allergies are not carefully reviewed.
- During surgery, by using faulty equipment, improperly monitoring vitals, administering an overdose or failing to intubate correctly.
- Post-operatively, if the patient is provided with inadequate aftercare and follow-up instructions.
The injuries caused by this type of negligence are often catastrophic. Heart attack, stroke, asphyxiation and brain injury have all been the tragic outcomes of anesthesia malpractice. In some cases, families have lost a loved one to this avoidable medical error.
Anesthesiologists have a duty to prevent harm to their patients. When the gravity of this duty is ignored by the people administering your care, you can be left facing the devastating, lifelong consequences.
If you have been injured by anesthesia malpractice in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, please contact Wapner Newman, with offices in Philadelphia, Allentown, Marlton and West Conshohocken, to schedule a free initial consultation.