Surgeries inherently carry some risk because complications can arise at any point during the procedure. One potential danger involves the use of anesthesia. If the medical team doesn’t administer these medications correctly or doesn’t follow monitoring protocols, patients can suffer all manner of harm.
After sustaining an injury because of an anesthesia error, you may be entitled to begin a claim for medical malpractice. Here’s what you should know about the types of mistakes that can lead to catastrophic injuries and what to expect from the claims process.
Common Causes of Anesthesia Injuries in Minnesota
Some of the issues that cause anesthesia injuries are not preventable. However, other errors committed under the right circumstances can give you the right to file a medical malpractice claim.
Failure to Monitor
Anesthesiologists must monitor patients throughout the entire surgical process to ensure that no complications arise. They should be ready to act if there are changes to the patient’s breathing or heart rate. If they fail to monitor vital signs, serious injuries can occur, including those that lead to wrongful death.
Dosage Errors
Anesthesia dosages must be carefully calculated, considering the patient’s size and medical history. Not offering enough anesthesia can result in anesthesia awareness, which causes you to wake up during the procedure without being able to move or speak. It can be a highly traumatic experience.
On the other hand, getting too much anesthesia can cause breathing problems that lead to oxygen deprivation and brain injuries. In the most serious cases, it can be life-threatening.
Improper Intubation
When patients need to be intubated for a procedure, anesthesiologists have to ensure that this is done correctly and without causing harm to the patient’s teeth and throat. If care is not taken, you can suffer damage to your esophagus, vocal cords, and other structures.
Communication Errors
The entire surgical team must be able to communicate efficiently. A failure to do so can mean not acting quickly enough when an emergency arises.
Equipment Failure
The equipment used for these procedures can also fail. This can include ventilators, monitoring machines, and anesthesia delivery systems. They may not register the appropriate information or administer the required amount of oxygen or medications.
Equipment failure can come down to a manufacturer’s error, or it could occur due to improper maintenance by the medical staff. The cause of the malfunction will dictate which parties you may be able to hold liable.
Can You File a Claim After Suffering an Anesthesia Injury?
When you suffer harm due to a medical professional’s mistake, you may be able to file a malpractice claim. To succeed, certain legal elements must be proven.
To file a valid anesthesia injury claim, you must show:
- The provider owed you a duty of care (doctors, nurses, and anesthesiologists all have this responsibility)
- The provider breached that duty by failing to meet the accepted medical standard of care
- The breach directly caused your injury
- You suffered measurable losses, such as medical costs or pain and suffering
These elements form the foundation of most medical malpractice cases. An attorney can help collect records, expert opinions, and other evidence to establish each one clearly.
Filing Requirements in Minnesota
Starting a medical malpractice claim in Minnesota involves specific legal steps. You generally must submit an affidavit of merit from a qualified medical expert confirming that your claim has a valid basis. Failing to file this affidavit can lead to dismissal of your case.
You must also file your claim within the applicable statute of limitations, or you may be barred from recovering compensation.
Because these claims are complex and time-sensitive, working with a lawyer ensures that your paperwork is accurate, deadlines are met, and your right to recovery is protected.
Contact the Minneapolis Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys for Help Today
If you have sustained an injury because of a medical professional’s negligence in Minneapolis, MN, you may be entitled to file a claim for compensation. The last thing you need when you’re facing serious injuries and the stress of mounting medical bills is to have to worry about legal proceedings, though. This is where hiring an attorney comes in.
At Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys, our team has a reputation for helping injured victims navigate even the most complex malpractice cases. Our Minneapolis medical malpractice lawyers have recovered over $90 million in compensation for our clients and are committed to standing up for people just like you. Contact us today to schedule a free case assessment.
Visit Our Law Office In Minneapolis, MN
Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys – Minneapolis
825 Nicollet Mall, Suite 615
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: (800) 292-1979
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