Charleston Anesthesia Injury Attorney
There are few situations in which we’re more vulnerable than we are during surgery, and anesthesia tends to play a primary role in the process. When you have surgery, you have no option other than to put your complete faith in the medical team caring for you, and if you suffer an anesthesia injury in the process, it can lead to serious consequences that are difficult to overcome. If you or someone you love was injured by the use of anesthesia, reach out to the skilled legal counsel of an experienced Charleston, SC, anesthesia injury attorney today.
Anesthesia Errors and Medical Malpractice
Anesthesia is administered during surgical procedures to help ensure the safety and comfort of patients. While not every anesthesia error rises to the level of medical malpractice, some do, and the losses that the injured patients experience can be immense.
For an anesthesia error to be considered medical malpractice, the medical professional – or medical facility – must have failed to meet the accepted standard of care established for the field of anesthesia. This means that they must have either done something that other medical professionals wouldn’t have done under similar circumstances or must have failed to do something that their peers would have done under similar circumstances.
Anesthesia Errors Can Occur before, during, or after Surgery
Anesthesia errors don’t always occur during surgery.
Preoperative Errors
Preoperative errors can include all the following:
- Failing to adequately review the patient’s medical history for potential complications prior to surgery
- Not informing the patient of all involved risks
- Neglecting to adequately inform the patient of preoperative requirements, such as fasting for a specific number of hours
Errors During Surgery
Some of the most common anesthesia errors made during surgery include:
- Administering either too much or too little anesthesia
- Delaying the administration of anesthesia
- Failing to properly administer or monitor the surgical oxygen
- Giving the wrong type of anesthesia for the surgery in question
- Not adequately monitoring the patient’s vital signs
- Neglecting to identify or adequately treat any complications that develop
- Inserting the intubation tube incorrectly
- Using faulty or defective equipment
- Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while administering anesthesia
Post-Surgical Errors
Some of the anesthesia errors that can happen post-surgery include:
- Having a patient under anesthesia for too long
- Leaving an anesthetized patient unattended
- Failing to provide the patient with adequate post-operative instructions
Your Physical, Financial, and Emotional Losses
If you are the victim of malpractice in the form of an anesthesia error, you can face serious losses – or legal damages – in each of the following categories:
- Ongoing medical bills
- Lost earnings that can reflect lost earning potential
- Immense physical and emotional pain and suffering
A seasoned anesthesia injury attorney can help.
Turn to an Experienced Charleston Anesthesia Injury Attorney for the Help You Need
The resourceful Charleston, SC, anesthesia injury attorneys at Parham Smith & Archenhold are well-versed in the legal complexities of anesthesia injury claims like yours and will leave no stone unturned in their focused efforts to help. Learn more by contacting us online or calling 864-432-1796 today.