When you undergo surgery, you put your life in your anesthesiologist’s hands. Your anesthesiologist must not needlessly harm you. If they did harm you, you need to contact an Atlanta anesthesia malpractice lawyer.
Our Atlanta medical malpractice lawyers have successfully represented anesthesia injury victims for decades. We’ll deliver the best customer service and the greatest result. Our prior victories and our 5-star client reviews validate that promise.
Call us today at (404) 939-9470. Also, you may fill-out our online contact form to schedule a free case review. If you’ve got questions, we’ve got the answers.
What is Anesthesia Malpractice?
Anesthesiologists are, on average, the highest paid professionals in the U.S. They’re well-compensated because they’re in charge of the patient’s wellness and safety during surgery.
Anesthesiologists sedate patients during surgical procedures. Sedation ensures that patients won’t suffer any pain or discomfort during surgery. General anesthesia completely sedates a patient. Local anesthesia partially sedates a patient.
Anesthesiologists violate the patient care standard if they:
- Give the wrong anesthesia type
- Give the wrong anesthesia dosage
- Fail to fully sedate a patient
Also, anesthesiologists must monitor the patient’s vital signs during surgery. Most surgeries are uneventful. However, occasionally patients suffer an acute medical event while they’re sedated. When that occurs, the anesthesiologist must quickly act to avoid a fatal incident.
If you suffered an anesthesia injury, you should contact our Atlanta anesthesia malpractice lawyers. Our lawyers will thoroughly evaluate your case. Then, If you hire us, we’ll help you recover damages.
Common Anesthesia Injuries
Our Atlanta anesthesia malpractice lawyers typically handle the following cases:
Dosage Injuries
Anesthesia drugs are highly potent. Thus, anesthesiologists must carefully administer them to patients. For instance, the anesthesiologist must give the patient the correct sedation dosage. Some patients must remain unconscious during surgery. Other patients remain partially awake. However, those patients still need a local or regional anesthetic.
If the anesthesiologist gives too little anesthetic, the patient could wake up during surgery. If the patient wakes up, they might suffer immense emotional trauma.
However, if the patient receives too much anesthesia, they could die. Other overdose injuries include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Breathing trouble
- Hypothermia
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
Most anesthesia injuries are temporary if the doctor timely corrects them. However, some victims suffer long-term side effects, such as brain damage and physical disabilities.
Comas
Some patients remain comatose when they’re sedated too long. Others pass away.
If your loved one is in a vegetative state following surgery, you should contact an Atlanta anesthesia malpractice lawyer. We’ll review your loved one’s medical records and figure out what happened. If your loved one’s anesthesiologist injured them, we can help them obtain justice.
IV Mistakes
Anesthesia drugs are usually given through vein injections (IVs). If the IV isn’t properly inserted, the sedation drugs may escape into the patient’s body cavity. That exposure may harm the patient’s organs. Additionally, if a patient only receives a partial sedation dose, they may experience physical trauma during the procedure.
Intubation Injuries
Anesthesiologists intubate patients during surgery. The intubation tube is hooked up to a ventilator, which pushes air into the patients’ lungs. That way, patients receive steady oxygen throughout the procedure. If a patient isn’t properly intubated, their brain won’t receive sufficient oxygen. Oxygen deprivation causes devastating injuries. Sometimes, it also causes death.
Failure to Monitor
The anesthesiologist must actively monitor the patient’s vital signs throughout the procedure. They should also continuously monitor the patient’s body position. We recently represented a patient who suffered a brachial plexus injury after her arm dangled from the operating table for hours during a surgical procedure. The anesthesiologist and his team should have noticed her drooping arm and placed it back upon the arm board.
Anesthesia Wrongful Death Claims
If an anesthesiologist’s neglect killed your loved one, you can file a wrongful death claim. Spouses, children, and parents of the deceased are all potential claimants. Estate representatives also can file wrongful death claims.
Wrongful death claims enable you to recover compensation for the loss of your loved one’s care and companionship. If the deceased was your family’s breadwinner, you can also recover damages to cover your lost household income. Additionally, funeral expenses are recoverable.
To learn more about anesthesia wrongful death claims, call our Atlanta medical malpractice lawyers.
Our Atlanta Anesthesia Malpractice Lawyers Can Help You
If an anesthesiologist injured you, or someone you love, you should contact Graham Scofield Injury Lawyers. Our medical malpractice lawyers will help you win justice. We’re here to help you. Just give us a call.
Call us today at (404) 939-9470. Also, you may fill-out our online contact form to schedule a free case review.
