If someone you love has been killed because of anesthesia malpractice, you need an experienced attorney by your side. Our St. Louis anesthesia malpractice lawyers at the Dixon Injury Firm have helped the surviving family members of countless victims file wrongful death claims against negligent medical personnel, and have recovered more than $35,000,000 in damages for clients. Chris has been named a “Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Association and has repeatedly earned recognition as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers.

What is an Anesthesia Error?

Anesthesia errors can occur during a procedure or routine medical care, and when they do happen the effects can be serious. It is important to check that the correct anesthesia is administered before it used. Here are the types of errors that can arise from anesthesia error:

  • Too Much Anesthesia Used – When too much anesthesia is used, the drug can have lingering affects on the individual that can cause loss of motor functions coordiantion, and loss of awareness. These types of issues can lead to other post operation accidents
  • Incorrect Anesthesia Used – When the wrong type of anesthesia is used, it may not be as affective as if the correct anesthesia is used. This can lead to complications during and after the procedure.
  • Anesthesia Given to a Patient Allergic to Anesthesia – An allergic reaction to anesthesia can have serious and sever consequences. A doctor or physician should know prior to the operation whether a patient can or cannot be administered anesthesia.
  • Too Little Anesthesia Used – If too little is used,
    the patient will not be properly numbed for the procedure and will feel the pain and discomfort of the operation which can lead to further complications.
  • Failure to Council Patients on the Correct procedures Prior to Use – Before an operation and before the anesthesia is used, patients must be counseled on the proper procedures and techniques. If a patient is not counseled on the correct procedures,
    it can lead to complications during the surgery or operation.
  • Lack of Counseling on Possible Drug Conflicts with Anesthesia – Certain types of medicines and drugs can conflict with the use of anesthesia, and if a patient isn’t counseled on this, and they take medicine that conflicts with anesthesia, it can lead to serious medical complications.
  • Defective Anesthesia Equipment – If the equipment used to administer the anesthesia is defective and the patient doesn’t receive the correct dosage or receives a defective dosage, this can lead to further injuries during and after the surgery.
  • Delayed Delivery of Anesthesia – If anesthesia is delivered too late, and the patient feels the effects of the surgery or operation, this can lead to other serious medical effects that can complicate the patient’s health.
  • Brain Damage – If too much anesthesia is used,
    the overdoes affects can cause severe and lasting brain injuries.

Common Types of Anesthesia Malpractice

Medical malpractice can happen in many different ways, but the primary cause of malpractice is negligence. Typically, the most common types of anesthesia malpractice that occur include:

  • Administering too much anesthesia to a patient
  • Giving a patient too little anesthesia
  • Using the wrong type of anesthesia on a patient
  • Failure to monitor a patient while under anesthesia
  • Not providing a patient with instructions before giving them anesthesia
  • Failure to administer oxygen to the patient while they are under anesthesia

Every year in the U.S. more than 34 deaths are caused by anesthesia and in more than 281 deaths anesthesia is listed as a contributing factor. The most commonly reported side effects of anesthesia are sore throat, nausea, and pain, but in more severe cases, anesthesia errors can cause blood clots, respiratory issues, heart problems, and other extreme side effects that can be potentially fatal.

Anesthesia Malpractice that Leads to Wrongful Death

Personal injury claims, including anesthesia malpractice claims, are subjected to a statute of limitations that varies in each state. In some states, the surviving family members of victims have as long as three years after the victim’s death to file a claim, while in others the time frame is a year or less. If you have recently lost someone because of anesthesia malpractice, it’s crucial to gather substantial evidence of the medical personnel’s malpractice and hire an experienced lawyer to represent your case.