Undergoing anesthesia can be one of life’s most vulnerable moments. Unfortunately, when a mistake with your anesthesia occurs, it can lead to serious and sometimes life-threatening complications.
If you think you or a loved one might be the victim of an anesthesia mistake in Scranton, you might be entitled to financial compensation for the medical negligence you experienced. Call the Scranton medical malpractice lawyers at Munley Law today. During your free consultation, we will discuss the details and map a path to winning your medical malpractice claim.
A medical mistake can result in catastrophic injuries, necessitate further medical intervention, and lead to lost wages and mounting medical bills. Don’t let surgical mistakes ruin your financial well-being. Call Munley Law today for a free case evaluation.
When Anesthesia Errors Constitute Medical Malpractice in Scranton
In Pennsylvania, proving medical malpractice requires that you demonstrate that a medical professional has breached the “standard of care” and that this breach directly caused your injury.
Medical malpractice claims can require many standards of proof, and your experienced attorney is in the best possible position to help you prove your medical malpractice lawsuit.
All medical mistakes are egregious, but anesthesia errors can be particularly dangerous and can lead to serious, sometimes permanent, injury or even death.
In Scranton, PA, these errors constitute medical malpractice resulting from negligence or a failure to meet the standard of care expected in the medical community.
If you or a loved one has suffered or has died from an anesthesia error in Scranton, contact a malpractice lawyer or wrongful death lawyer at Munley Law for your free consultation today. Our expert medical malpractice attorney has the tools, knowledge, experience, and medical experts on their side to help you win your maximum financial compensation.
Types of Anesthesia Errors in Scranton, PA
The most common types of anesthesia errors in Scranton are:
Too Much Anesthesia: When the anesthesiologist administers too much anesthesia during a surgical procedure, it can lead to severe complications like brain damage, heart problems, or even death. These mistakes often happen because the dosage is miscalculated based on the patient’s needs.
Anesthesia Awareness—Too Little Anesthesia: Administering too little anesthesia can cause anesthesia awareness, in which the patient becomes conscious during surgery and can feel pain. This horrifying experience occurs when the anesthesiologist underestimates the required amount of anesthesia.
Failure to Monitor the Patient: Anesthesiologists must continuously monitor a patient’s vital signs during surgery. Neglecting to properly monitor the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, or oxygen levels can lead to serious injury and may be considered negligence.
Improper Intubation: Errors during the intubation process, such as placing the tube incorrectly, can cause severe injuries, including damage to the throat and lungs or even brain injury due to lack of oxygen. Such medical errors by your medical provider indicate negligence and may be considered in a malpractice lawsuit.
Experiencing any of these medical malpractice injuries due to anesthesia error can be traumatic and life-changing.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by an anesthesia mistake, call Munley Law today for your free consultation.
What Causes Anesthesia Errors in Scranton?
Anesthesia errors can happen for various reasons, including neglect or insufficient or improper training by healthcare professionals. Anesthesia mistakes can include:
Inadequate Training: When your anesthesiologist, a nurse anesthetist, or their assistants do not have sufficient training or experience, they are more likely to make mistakes during surgery.
Fatigue: Healthcare providers can work long hours and have demanding schedules. When tired, anesthesiologists’ ability to function at their best is reduced, and they are more likely to make mistakes.
Miscommunication: Poor communication among the surgical team can result in mistakes, such as administering the wrong dosage or not being aware of a patient’s allergies.
Faulty Medical Equipment: Anesthesia machines and monitoring equipment need to be in perfect working order. Malfunctions or failure to adhere to routine checks and maintenance can lead to incorrect anesthesia administration or failure to properly monitor the patient’s vital signs.
Improper Dosage Calculation: Anesthesiologists must calculate the correct dosage of anesthesia based on the patient’s weight, age, and health condition. Making a mistake with these important calculations can lead to life-threatening over- or under-dosing.
Who Can Be Sued for Anesthesia Errors at a Scranton Hospital?
Anesthesia errors often result from the combined negligence of more than one medical staff member. Responsible parties may include:
- Anesthesiologist: The anesthesiologist is usually responsible for administering and monitoring anesthesia. Mistakes in calculating the dosage or not checking for a patient’s allergies can swiftly lead to severe complications.
- Anesthesiology Nurse or Technician Anesthesiology nurses and technicians assist the anesthesiologist during surgery. Suppose a nurse or technician fails, for instance, to help monitor the patient, calibrate the anesthesia machine, or misreport the patient’s vital signs. In that case, they may be held responsible for any injuries and can be sued for negligence.
- Surgeon The surgeon also plays a role in ensuring patient safety. They may share liability if they fail to communicate vital information about the patient’s medical history or allergies to the anesthesia team.
- Hospital Administration Hospitals are responsible for training staff and maintaining all medical equipment. They can be liable if they hire inadequately trained anesthesiologists or fail to maintain anesthesia machines.
- Equipment Manufacturers: If the anesthesia equipment is faulty, the manufacturer can be held accountable. This is particularly relevant if the equipment has design flaws or manufacturing defects. For instance, if a defect in an anesthesia machine leads to incorrect dosages being administered, resulting in patient harm, the manufacturer can be sued for producing unsafe equipment.
In many cases, more than one party may be at fault for an anesthesia error. For example, a combination of poor communication from the surgeon, a miscalculation by the anesthesiologist, and a malfunctioning machine could all contribute to a single incident. In such scenarios, each party’s negligence plays a role in the overall harm caused, and they can all be held liable in your injury case.
Munley Law Can Help with Your Scranton Anesthesia Error Claim
If you or someone you know has been injured due to an anesthesia mistake in a Scranton hospital, an injury lawyer at Munley Law Firm can help.
Our attorneys have over six decades of experience fighting medical malpractice cases in Scranton, and throughout Pennsylvania. Don’t get your legal advice from friends or the internet; talk to an expert at Munley Law.
Call today for a free consultation.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
227 Penn Ave.
Scranton, PA 18503
(570)865-4699
