Anesthesia Errors

Anesthetization is useful in many medical procedures for the blockage of pain and pressure sensations for the patient.  Nerve impulses can be blocked in small targeted areas (local anesthesia), regionally, or in the whole body (general anesthesia). When anesthetics are used correctly they facilitate painless medical procedures, but mistakes or negligence by the anesthesiologist can happen. 

Anesthesia Errors can lead to:

  • Excruciating pain
  • Botched surgery
  • PTSD / Fear of medical procedures
  • Allergic reactions
  • Site infection
  • Nerve damage
  • Malignant hyperthermia/hyperpyrexia (a rare inherited reaction to some general anesthetics)
  • Liver complications
  • Systemic toxicity
  • Spinal injury
  • Breathing problems / Respiratory arrest
  • Heart attack
  • Brain injury
  • Paralysis
  • Convulsions
  • Coma
  • Death 

Negligence on the part of an anesthesiologist can take the form of:

  • Incompetence (such as using the wrong anesthetic type for the procedure, or improper dosing)
  • Performing a job without proper training and/or experience
  • Failure to check patient medical history for possible contraindications with anesthetic
  • The anesthesiologist did not listen to the patient about prior adverse anesthetic reaction/mishap
  • Communication errors with the patient’s physician or other members of the surgical team
  • Contaminated or malfunctioning equipment
  • Improper monitoring while under the effects of anesthesia

If you believe you may have a medical malpractice case or a hospital malpractice case due to an anesthesia error, it is important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible. The Sweeney Law Firm can review your case for free and take your case on a contingency fee basis. We only get paid if you do.