Potential Defendants in Anesthesia Errors

 Summary:

This article will discuss persons that can be held responsible for anesthesia errors.

Main Text:

When a patient is injured as a result of an anesthesia error, blame can be laid on many different parties, or in other instances nearly anyone involved in the surgical procedure that requires the administration of such a drug. Such parties could include any doctor or nursing staff member or even extend to the administration that makes errors with paperwork and led to the harm of the patient. This article will discuss persons that can be held responsible for anesthesia errors.

 

As noted above there are a number of individuals who can be held responsible when an anesthesia error injures a patient. Such individuals may include the following:

· The treating doctor - the doctor giving treatment is one of the primary individuals responsible for anesthesia errors. This is especially so in surgery or through diagnosing a problem. This position is the first point of contact and may pass the patient off to a surgeon unless he or she is the professional that provides surgical care. In such situations this doctor can retain full or partial liability for anesthesia errors as the doctor details what drug type is necessary based on the location of the problem or injury.

· The anesthesiologist - if the surgeon or primary care doctor did not make any mistakes or errors in judgement based on the drug or location of the injury, liability then falls on the anesthesiologist instead. The anesthesiologist is the one who administers the amount of the drug, the type of medication and ensures that the patient remains under for the duration of the surgery. However, such professionals can make mistakes by administering too much or too little of the anesthesia. Other errors made can include awareness of the patient during the surgery or the wrong type of drug. In addition, if the anesthesiologist failed to properly monitor the patient, they could miss allergic reactions.

· Errors in anesthesia – errors in anesthesia could lead to the person administering too much or too little of the drug. In other instances, the person administering the drug can fail to provide the necessary instructions to the patient which can lead to additional injury or complications. Harmful interactions can cause allergic reactions which could severely injure the patient or kill them. Delayed delivery of the anesthesia could lead to awareness or other types of harm. Defective equipment or materials could injure the patient and lead to a liability claim with the product.

· Nursing staff errors - while these are less common in anesthesia injuries, nursing staff can make some mistakes that affect the anesthesia. This can involve a lack of monitoring, a distraction with the doctor or providing the wrong materials or equipment during the procedure. Generally, a nursing staff member may share responsibility with a doctor or surgeon if the patient suffers from any errors in judgement or mistakes made during the surgery.

· Manufacturer of equipment - at times equipment that is defective due to the design or other aspects can result in anesthesia errors. When this is the case the manufacturing company is responsible.

· Sales distributor - if they are defective equipment or tools the sales distributor can become liable for the damage caused.

Contact a reliable attorney in Anchorage  for legal advice.

 

Resource Box: If you are looking for vehicle injury lawyers  the author recommends Crowson Law Group.