Anesthetizing a patient does not always go as planned. When an error occurs, the results can be devastating. If you or a loved one was injured by an anesthesia error, please call an anesthesia malpractice lawyer Miami, FL has to offer. Call Needle & Ellenberg, P.A. today.
Anesthesia, both general and local, plays a very important role in medicine. It gives patients the ability to undergo complicated operations, outpatient procedures, and find relief from pain. With general anesthesia, a patient can be put to sleep so they experience no discomfort or pain. When a local anesthetic is given, pain signals to the brain will be prevented while the patient remains awake. Although most procedures go as planned, some do not. When this happens, an anesthesia malpractice lawyer in Miami, FL should be consulted.
The improper administration of a general or local anesthetic, or the failure to monitor a patient can be catastrophic. Needle & Ellenberg, P.A., is available to help patients who were harmed because of an anesthesia error. Let us review your case to understand the circumstances of what happened. If you have a case, we can hold the medical professional, such as the anesthesiologist, accountable for their actions. Compensation for your treatment, lost wages, and other losses may be available. Call a medical malpractice lawyer Miami, FL has to offer now.
Anesthesia Injuries Lawyer
Were you in emergency care or surgery and given anesthesia, but the dosage or type of medication led to severe complications? Did you suffer injury, or perhaps your family lost someone due to the anesthesia error? If so, please call our Miami, FL anesthesia injuries lawyer.
Emergency rooms are often the site of worry and stress for patients. Most people go to emergency rooms because they have suffered a traumatic injury or are having symptoms that indicate something could be terribly wrong. The last thing emergency room patients need to worry about is whether they will also be victims of a medical error that could cause them even more injury or illness.
Unfortunately, emergency room errors, including anesthesia mistakes and injuries, are increasingly common, and patients often need to decide whether or not to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit against those who are responsible. If you have been a victim of an emergency room error or an anesthesia mistake, please call Needle & Ellenberg, P.A. to meet with our Miami, FL anesthesia injuries lawyer to find out what your legal options are.
Common Emergency Room Mistakes
Anyone who has ever been in an emergency room can likely attest to how chaotic it can be, especially if the facility is in a large city or many patients arrive at once. Data reveals that certain emergency room errors occur frequently. These include the following:
- Diagnosis: One of the most common medical errors in emergency rooms involves diagnosing the patient’s condition. Misdiagnosis, delay in diagnosis, or failure to diagnose are responsible for almost 60 percent of all emergency room errors that occur each year.
- Treatments: In many cases, the medical staff correctly diagnose the patient’s condition but fail to provide the appropriate treatment. Some of the more common errors in this category include inserting an IV line incorrectly or failing to properly clean a laceration.
- Incorrect medication or failure to provide medication: In almost 5 percent of emergency room errors, medical staff gave the patient the wrong medication or failed to provide the medication they needed. Tragically, this mistake can also be fatal.
If you are the victim of an error made in the emergency room, please call our Miami emergency room and anesthesia injuries lawyer for advice about medical malpractice claims.
Emergency Room Standard of Care
To be successful in a medical malpractice lawsuit, our attorney must be able to prove four elements:
- The hospital owed the patient a duty of care
- There was a breach of that duty
- The medical professional’s actions (or inaction) caused that breach
- The patient suffered harm as a result of that breach
The first element is often easy to prove since state law mandates that a medical professional owes their patient a duty of care. Our medical malpractice and anesthesia injuries attorney has multiple ways to prove the harm a patient suffered, including medical records, medical expenses, expert testimony, and testimony of the victim’s family and friends.
Proving the second element, a breach of duty, can be more complicated. The question is whether the medical professional used the same skill, knowledge, and care when diagnosing and treating the victim as another medical professional would have in similar circumstances. If the answer is no, then the medical professional was likely negligent. Bear in mind that if an anesthesia mistake occurred, our malpractice attorney may pursue a claim against multiple parties, including the anesthesiologist, nurse anesthetist, doctor, or medical facility.
Types of Anesthesia Errors That Cause Injury
Anesthesia mistakes can occur due to understaffing or allowing unqualified staff to administer anesthesia. A victim may receive the wrong amount of anesthesia, he or she might be improperly monitored, or it may be administered in the wrong form. Most of these issues revolve around profit. Often, these errors stem from the quality and size of the staff. Quality and staff size can be determined by budget and profit, and your health should be more important than a dollar sign, a pinched budget, or an effort to maximize profit.
Anesthesia errors can result in:
- Brain damage
- Paralysis
- Death
Litigation is costly. We are prepared to invest in meritorious cases and carefully explain the costs as we work through the legal process, so that when your case is resolved, you do not face any financial surprises. You will not pay us unless we recover compensation for you.
Anesthesia Mistakes and Compensation for Injuries
Anesthesia is a useful tool. It helps ease a patient into and out of complicated medical procedures. Without it, patients would feel extreme pain. If anesthesia is administered incorrectly, however, the pain the patient was avoiding could be exponentially increased. At Needle & Ellenberg, P.A., our attorneys have more than five decades of combined experience helping individuals who have been injured due to another’s negligence. Give us a call today to set up a free evaluation about your injuries and right to seek compensation. Based in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, we serve clients across Florida.
Understanding Anesthesia Injuries
As a Miami, FL anesthesia injuries attorney can explain, anesthesia refers to a medical procedure where patients are rendered unconscious so that they do not feel pain while undergoing surgery or another treatment. While it’s largely safe, complications can arise. Injuries related to anesthesia can range from minor issues, like a sore throat from intubation, to serious problems such as brain damage, stroke, or even death. Knowing when an injury has resulted from a medical professional’s negligence is essential. Many families are left wondering if the incident could have been prevented. Early recognition and timely intervention can often minimize the effects.
Common Causes of Anesthesia Injuries
Dosage errors, where administering too much or too little anesthesia happens, can result in serious complications. An overdose may lead to prolonged unconsciousness or damage to organs, while an underdose might cause a patient to wake up during surgery. Another significant concern is the failure to monitor patients under anesthesia. If medical professionals neglect to do so, the patient can be deprived of oxygen or experience other complications. The process of placing a tube, known as intubation, in a patient’s windpipe can cause injuries if not done correctly. Such mistakes can lead to throat pain, vocal cord damage, or even punctured lungs.
The Impact of Anesthesia Injuries
It’s not just the physical pain or health complications that victims face. Anesthesia injuries can also result in significant emotional and financial strain. Medical bills can quickly accumulate, and prolonged treatments might become necessary. Patients might miss significant amounts of work, face reduced earning potential, or struggle with long-term disabilities. Furthermore, the emotional trauma of waking up during surgery or dealing with an unexpected injury can lead to severe mental distress. Medical and psychological support is essential for full recovery.
Legal Remedies are Available
If you or a loved one has suffered from an anesthesia-related injury, it’s crucial to know that legal avenues are open for redress. Financial compensation can cover a variety of things from medical bills, lost wages, emotional distress, and much more. This is where expert attorneys come into the picture. Needle & Ellenberg, P.A. has a seasoned team with the expertise and dedication needed to navigate these complex cases. With their guidance, victims can understand their rights and potential outcomes. A compassionate and experienced attorney can make a tangible difference in your case.
Building a Strong Case
Defendants must provide evidence that negligence occurred in order to build a strong case. This involves showing that the medical professional had a duty of care, breached that duty, and the breach directly resulted in injury. Gathering medical records, expert testimonies, and other relevant evidence can strengthen your case. Building a comprehensive narrative is critical, and no detail is too small. With meticulous preparation and determination, your chances of achieving justice increase manifold.
Types of Anesthesia Errors
Anesthesia errors are usually a type of medical malpractice. They can happen in various ways, and sometimes are difficult to identify. This is why it is important to choose an experienced Miami, FL anesthesia malpractice lawyer, such as Needle & Ellenberg, P.A. With these types of cases, the burden of proof will lie with you. This means you should have a good lawyer who can utilize the necessary resources, knowledge, and skill to present your case. Furthermore, your lawyer should be ready to take your case to trial – if need be.
Whether the anesthesia has been administered by a doctor, anesthesia, nurse anesthetist, or other certified professional, the proper standard of care should always be maintained. Sadly, this is not always the case. Examples may include:
- The patient has been underdosed or overdosed based on their weight. This can cause the patient to wake up during the procedure and go into shock, or fail to wake up which can result in a coma and/or death.
- An incomplete medical exam or history is taken. If this should happen, information about the patients’ health, allergies, and background may be unknown. This could result in an allergic reaction, heart, or liver problem.
- Anesthesia is given to the wrong part of the body. When this happens, there is no effect around the part of the body that is being treated. The patient then experiences severe pain when the procedure begins.
- The patients’ vitals are not monitored. If the nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist does not monitor the patient’s vitals, a host of problems could develop.
- The anesthesiologist fails to talk to the patient about side effects. The patient might be unaware of side effects such as dizziness, and unknowing become susceptible to a fall and a greater injury.
- The anesthesiologist fails to check equipment. If these devices are not checked to ensure their functioning, they could fail and lead to harm of the patient.
The above is not exhaustive. If you were harmed by an anesthesia error, please call an anesthesia malpractice lawyer in Miami, Florida, such as one from Needle & Ellenberg, P.A.
CONTACT THE LAW FIRM OF NEEDLE & ELLENBERG, P.A., FOR A FREE EVALUATION
To discuss your situation with an experienced anesthesia injuries lawyer Miami, FL community members can rely on, please contact our firm by calling (305) 530-0000 or 877-810-2864. You can also email us.