New York City Anesthesia Error Lawyer
Medical professionals use anesthesia to prevent pain during routine and complex surgeries. Usually, anesthesia is used for an entire surgery and the effects wear off quickly afterward. Anesthesia is extremely powerful medicine and it can have serious consequences if it is not used properly. In some cases, anesthesia can even be fatal. If you or someone you love has been harmed due to negligence, you need legal help. Our New York City anesthesia error lawyer can provide it and ensure you receive the compensation that is justly yours.
Types of Anesthesia
When most people think of anesthesia, they often first think of general anesthesia. General anesthesia refers to medicine that causes a patient to lose consciousness and essentially ‘fall asleep’ during the procedure. This is just one type of anesthesia, though, and it is usually reserved for the most invasive and complex surgeries.
Other types of anesthesia include:
- Local anesthesia, which numbs a very specific part of the body that is being operated on,
- Regional anesthesia, which numbs a specific but larger part of the body, such as an epidural that is used during childbirth, and
- Conscious sedation, which uses a drug to relax the patient and make them less aware of a procedure they undergo while they are fully awake.
Regardless of the type of anesthesia that is used, an error in the administration of it can have very serious consequences.
What Duty Do Anesthesiologists Owe Patients?
Anesthesiologists owe the same duty to patients as other doctors, nurses, and health care facilities. Anesthesiologists must meet the medical standard of care. Although this does not mean perfection, the level of duty owed by anesthesiologists is very high. The medical standard of care refers to providing the same car as another professional in the same field. As such, if an anesthesiologist makes a mistake that another professional in the same field would not have made, they can be considered negligent and held liable for their actions.
Common Anesthesia Errors
No one wants to think about it, but anesthesia errors are quite common. Any time an anesthesiologist acts negligently, it can result in an anesthesia error. Some of these are more common than others and they include:
- Administering an improper dosage,
- Failure to monitor a patient properly during the administration of the drug, and afterwards,
- Improper communication among medical staff,
- Confusing one patient’s chart with another, and
- Failing to assess the patient’s medical history and overall health.
The above list is not exhaustive and includes just some of the most common types of anesthesia errors. If you believe you or someone you love has been harmed as a result of a careless mistake, you need legal help.
Our Anesthesia Error Lawyer in New York City Can Help with Your Case
Anesthesia errors are very common, but they are also entirely preventable. At Michael Gunzburg, P.C., our New York City anesthesia error lawyer can determine who caused your injuries and hold them fully liable for paying the just compensation you deserve. Call us now at 212-725-8500 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with our experienced attorney.
