Orlando Anesthesia Errors Attorneys

The ability to use anesthesia makes some surgical procedures possible and others considerably less painful for the patient. An anesthesia error, however, can leave a patient with lifelong injuries or even lead to death. For the injured victim or surviving family members, the pain, suffering, and financial hardship can seem unbearable.

The Orlando anesthesia errors attorneys at Bailey Fisher understand how an anesthesia error can forever change the lives of victims and their families. We also know how overwhelming it can be to feel as though you are fighting both the medical establishment and an unfamiliar legal system in your quest to find answers and help. Let our knowledgeable Orlando anesthesia errors attorneys help. We are committed to using our extensive experience and considerable resources to pursue the responsible party (or parties) and recover compensation for your physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial losses.

What Is Anesthesia?

Although cultures were using opium-based “anesthesia” thousands of years ago, modern-day anesthesia wasn’t widely used until the second half of the 19^th century. The goal of anesthesia is to prevent a patient from feeling pain during medical procedures, including surgery. Various combinations of anesthetic drugs are used to produce different types of anesthesia, including:

Local anesthesia. Used in an isolated area, this type of anesthesia is used for things such as removing a mole or extracting a tooth.
Regional anesthesia. This type of anesthesia numbs a larger area than local anesthesia. The epidural that numbs the lower half of a woman’s body during childbirth is an example of a regional anesthetic.
General anesthesia. Not only does general anesthesia affect the entire body, but unlike local and regional anesthesia, general anesthesia causes the patient to lose consciousness. General anesthesia is what allows a patient to endure lengthy and/or invasive surgical procedures without pain.

How Does an Anesthesia Error Happen?

A physician with specialized training, known as an “anesthesiologist,” is primarily responsible for administering anesthesia and monitoring a patient while the patient is under anesthesia. Unfortunately, anesthesia errors happen far too often. During a recent seven-year period (2007-2014) a total of 17,116 anesthetic errors were reported in the United States, resulting in 131 deaths, according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Many more patients suffered non-fatal anesthesia error injuries. Common ways in which an anesthesia error may occur include:

Administering too little or too much anesthesia.
Failing to monitor a patient while the patient is under anesthesia.
Improperly intubating a patient.
Failing to recognize dangerous drug interactions.
Improperly regulating oxygen while under anesthesia.
Failing to anticipate or react to an allergic reaction.
Failing to properly manage complications.

Common Anesthesia Error Injuries

When an anesthesia error occurs, it puts the patient at risk of serious, even fatal, injury. While some anesthesia error injuries are only temporary, others leave the patient with lifelong pain and suffering. Examples of common injuries caused by an anesthesia error include:

Heart attack
Stroke
Paralysis
Nerve damage
Birth defects
Coma
Infection
Seizures
Headaches
Brain injury
Memory loss
Emotional trauma

Are All Anesthesia Errors Considered to Be Medical Malpractice?

For a patient, an anesthesia error can be extremely traumatic and may cause lasting physical injuries. Nevertheless, not all anesthesia errors rise to the level of an actionable medical malpractice claim against the anesthesiologist, surgeon, hospital, or other healthcare professionals involved in your care. For an anesthesia error to be considered medical malpractice, the error must have been preventable.

The applicable standard for medical malpractice in the State of Florida is found in Florida Statute 766.102(1) and is defined as the standard as “that level of care, skill, and treatment which, in light of all relevant surrounding circumstances, is recognized as acceptable and appropriate by reasonably prudent similar health care providers.” In short, an injured patient or surviving family member must prove another similarly educated and experienced healthcare professional would not have committed the same error under the same circumstances.

If you were injured because of an anesthesia error or you lost a family member because of one, you must initiate legal action within the “statute of limitations” to preserve your right to recover compensation and hold the at-fault party (or parties) responsible. Florida Statute 95.11 only allows two years from “the time the incident giving rise to the action occurred or within two years from the time the incident is discovered or should have been discovered with the exercise of due diligence.” In addition, there is an upper limit of four years from the date of the incident or occurrence out of which the cause of action accrued, except in an action brought on behalf of a minor on or before the child’s eighth birthday.

Am I Entitled to Compensation for an Anesthesia Error?

If you were injured because of an anesthesia error, you could be entitled to compensation in a medical malpractice lawsuit. The responsible party ( or parties) may be required to compensate you for both your economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are intended to compensate a victim for the objective, easily quantifiable damages suffered because of the accident and may include things such as:

Medical expenses
Rehabilitation and other care costs
Lost income to date as well as future lost income

Non-economic damages compensate a victim for the subjective, less easily quantifiable damages suffered in a collision, such as:

Physical and emotional pain and suffering
Diminished qualify of life
Scarring and disfigurement

If you lost a parent or child because of an Orlando anesthesia error, you may also be entitled to compensation for your emotional suffering and financial loss through a wrongful death lawsuit.

How Can Orlando Anesthesia Errors Attorneys Help Me?

An anesthesia error can have devastating consequences for the victim as well as surviving family members when an error results in death. Not only should the negligent party or parties be held accountable, but you should be compensated for all your injuries. The compassionate and experienced Orlando anesthesia errors attorneys at Bailey Fisher are dedicated to helping injured victims just like you. We would be honored to sit down and talk to you about your legal options.

Call us at 407-628-2929 or submit our online form today. One of our experienced Orlando anesthesia errors attorneys will evaluate your case for free and advise you on the next steps.