A patient was awarded $2.25 million after suffering a brain injury from anesthesia. The plaintiff had undergone surgery at the Ambulatory Surgery Center to have a prosthetic lens implanted. The surgery is typically a relatively simple procedure that takes less than two hours to perform. The anesthesiologist and the Ambulatory Surgery Center were aware that the patient was diabetic and had serious, preexisting kidney disease.
The patient allegedly reacted to the anesthesia after the anesthesiologist put him under, falling into a deeper state of sedation than was intended. Though this reaction is not common, it is known to occur. According to the suit, the anesthesiologist left the surgery room and failed to properly monitor the patient. The patient stopped breathing for enough time to suffer an anoxic brain injury, a serious, life-threatening injury that can lead to cognitive problems and disabilities.
The Ambulatory Surgery Center argued that everything surrounding the surgical procedure was done correctly. But, the plaintiff claimed that the Ambulatory Surgery Center knew about and permitted the anesthesiologist to leave the room during the procedure. According to the suit, the patient was left with nurses who were not trained or licensed to handle or treat sedated patients.
The Jury found that the patient received a low standard of care, and determined that the Ambulatory Surgery Center was negligent. The jury awarded the plaintiff $2.25 million. The anesthesiologist had previously settled his part of the medical malpractice lawsuit.
Medical negligence can affect a patient for the rest of his/her life. If you or a loved one has been severely injured and you feel it was caused by medical negligence, you may be eligible for financial compensation. To speak with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Connecticut please contact Berkowitz and Hanna LLC today.
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