Imagine being awake and conscious of what the medical team is doing to you during a complicated major surgery. It is the stuff of nightmares and B-quality horror movies, yet it happens more often than medical professionals would like you to know.
There is even a term for it: anesthetic awareness.
Most victims experienced little or no pain during the surgery but suffered psychologically in its aftermath. Still, others were aware of excruciating pain during their procedures. Unfortunately, they could not move or call out for help.
Can you sue for anesthetic awareness?
You must show that someone on the medical team engaged in negligence that led to your suffering to seek a medical malpractice claim. Often, this means finding evidence of an error that interfered with the proper administration of anesthesia.
Say you suspect the anesthesiologist did not administer enough medicine to render you unconscious and keep you that way throughout your surgery. Your legal representative may find evidence to support your theory by examining hospital drug records.
According to medical experts, two common reasons for anesthetic awareness are equipment misuse (or failure) and administering inadequate anesthesia. This statement suggests the healthcare industry knows the risks and that awareness during surgical procedures is preventable.
What are the consequences of anesthetic awareness?
Perhaps the memories of your ordeal will fade quickly. If they do not, you may experience chronic anxiety, nightmares, preoccupation with death and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Medical malpractice claims may cover the psychological consequences of any surgical error, even those made by non-surgeons. Learn more about Louisiana negligence and malpractice regulations to start your claim.
