Top-Rated Anesthesia Error Attorneys | Kansas City
Did you undergo surgery and quickly realize there was an anesthesia error? Or maybe you awoke and did not know exactly what happened but could tell something just wasn’t quite right.
Either way, if you suspect an anesthesia error caused your injury, you should not be left to deal with the negative impact it has on your life alone, terrified and in financial distress. At Dempsey Kingsland Osteen, our experienced anesthesia error attorneys in Kansas City can help you seek the justice, compensation, and accountability you deserve.
Contact the experienced anesthesia error attorneys at Kansas City's Dempsey Kingsland Osteen for a free consultation. Get the compensation you deserve for anesthesia errors today!
contact usCommon Anesthesia Mistakes in Kansas City
Anesthesia errors are a form of medical malpractice. Many types of anesthesia mistakes can occur in a number of different medical settings. Below, we discuss four common types of anesthesia errors along with a laundry list of other potential anesthesia-related mistakes and malpractice.
Dosage Errors
One of the most common anesthesia errors involves administering the incorrect dosage. This can be too little or too much of the anesthetic. Both can lead to incredible pain, suffering, and permanent injury.
If medical professionals are unfamiliar with the equipment, inexperienced, not paying attention, rushing, or making an incorrect calculation, it can lead to severe negative consequences for the patient.
Improper IV Administration and Monitoring
Most people do not realize how vital proper IV administration and monitoring is during a surgical procedure. Too much or too little fluid can drastically affect the anesthetic and the patient’s ability to metabolize it.
Healthcare professionals involved in the surgery are responsible for setting, administering, and monitoring accurate IV flow rates while the patient is anesthetized.
Failure to Communicate
Most anesthesia mistakes are preventable, and many occur because of a lack of communication between the doctor and patient or the doctor and other medical staff. The anesthesiologist must speak with the patient and other care providers to discuss pre-operative instructions, risks, current medications, etc.
Documentation Mistakes
Similar to a failure to communicate, documentation errors or mistakes can have devastating consequences for the patient. Documenting current medical problems, medicines, patient weight, allergies, and more can lead to missing crucial information that results in an anesthesia injury.
It is also essential for the anesthesiologist to document what was given, any adverse reactions or events, and any other pertinent information regarding the anesthesia to ensure accurate postoperative care.
Other types of anesthesia errors include:
- Administering too much or not enough anesthesia,
- Administering the wrong type of anesthesia,
- Accidental flushing of drugs through the IV,
- Failure to be aware of or recognize an adverse reaction,
- Administering anesthesia despite a known patient allergy,
- Improper intubation,
- Failure to adequately monitor the patient’s vital signs,
- Using unsanitary equipment,
- Using defective equipment,
- Failure to properly administer oxygen during surgery,
- Delay in administering anesthesia,
- Administering the wrong medication,
- Failure to take a thorough history of the patient,
- Failure to properly inform the patient about eating or drinking before anesthesia,
- Ignoring alarms or alerts that are monitoring the patient,
- Failure to continuously monitor the patient’s vitals while anesthetized,
- Failure to adequately monitor during the post-op period,
- Being unprepared for a medical emergency,
- Failure to respond to anaphylactic shock,
- Failure to properly resuscitate a patient, and
- Improper placement of the IV.
Often, complications or negligence with anesthesia can lead to a cascade of other problems and injuries. You may have a valid medical malpractice claim if you were hurt because of one of the errors listed above or something else entirely. Contact our anesthesia error lawyers for a free assessment of your case. We will help you determine if you might be entitled to compensation.
How Do Anesthesia Errors Happen?
Anesthesia errors can happen for a myriad of reasons. Sometimes, a mistake is just that—a mistake, but other times, an anesthesia error can be caused by a medical professional’s negligence. Carelessness, recklessness, lack of experience, and lack of training can all lead to an anesthesia error by a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional administering the anesthetic.
Who Is Responsible for Anesthesia Mistakes?
There may be one or more individuals responsible for the anesthesia mistake. Most often, the anesthesiologist will be responsible for the error and injury. However, any health care provider involved in the process can be potentially liable for the mistakes including:
- Anesthesiologists,
- Nurses,
- Surgeons,
- Assistants,
- The hospital or surgery center,
- Equipment manufacturer,
- Drug manufacturer,
- Dentist,
- Emergency medical personnel,
- Techs, and
- Any other medical professionals or staff members who are present during the surgery.
Depending on the circumstances, multiple parties may be responsible for the error and ultimately liable for your injury. Anesthesiologist mistakes often happen when the patient is unconscious, making it challenging to prove and even identify what occurred.
Legal Options for Anesthesia Errors
If you suffer financial loss due to an anesthesia error and resulting injury, you may be entitled to compensation. You can do this by filing a claim and a demand for damages with the offending medical provider and their malpractice insurance carrier. However, they usually defend vigorously against these claims. It may be best to file a medical malpractice lawsuit to recover the damages you deserve.
Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
It is not enough to say you underwent anesthesia during surgery or another procedure and ended up with an injury or other complication as a result.
You must prove the doctor or other healthcare providers deviated from the accepted standard of medical care to have a successful lawsuit.
To be successful in court, the injured plaintiff patient must prove:
- A doctor-patient relationship exists,
- The doctor negligently deviated from the accepted standard of medical care,
- The doctor’s negligence directly caused the injury, and
- As a result of that injury, you suffered financial losses.
As the plaintiff, you must prove that the anesthesiologist’s or other healthcare provider’s actions breached the standard of care that another provider in the same field under similar circumstances would have done.
It’s the hard truth that not every anesthesia mistake rises to the level of medical malpractice. Identifying and determining if negligence occurred is not always straightforward.
It is best to consult an experienced anesthesia error attorney.
How a Kansas City Anesthesia Error Attorney Can Help
Dealing with any medical malpractice claim, especially an anesthesia error, can be challenging. Medical malpractice lawsuits are highly complex and often involve medical experts, extensive discovery, and intense litigation. While there is no legal requirement to retain an attorney to pursue your case, we strongly recommend it.
Your anesthesia error claim can involve several different parties and insurance companies. Experienced anesthesia malpractice attorneys know how to navigate these highly complex, time-consuming claims.
Seasoned Kansas City medical malpractice lawyers understand the law and are familiar with the court system and procedures. An attorney can ensure the smoothest road possible to your recovery.
Why DKO is the Best Choice for Your Anesthesia Error Case
When filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, it is important to hire an attorney. Medical malpractice lawsuits are highly specialized and complex and require knowledge and familiarity with medical jargon, experts, and legalese.
At Dempsey Kingsland Osteen, we are dedicated medical malpractice attorneys with medical experts on our team, including a board-certified physician and registered nurse. We have successfully achieved multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for our clients injured through medical negligence. We offer free consultations and a personalized touch with each client. Let us put our knowledge and experience to work for you.
Anesthesia Error Attorney, Kansas City
At Dempsey Kingsland Osteen, we have over 100 years of combined experience helping medical malpractice victims. If you or a loved one recently suffered an injury from an anesthesia error, our Kansas City anesthesia error lawyers are here to assist you. Contact us for a free initial consultation today.
