Louisville Anesthesia Error Attorneys

Anesthesia makes it possible for medical procedures to be performed without the patient feeling any pain. Unfortunately, anesthesia does not come without risk. There are inherent risks associated with general anesthesia, and at times even the most experienced or competent anesthesiologist cannot prevent an adverse effect, such as an allergic reaction. In other scenarios, however, an anesthesia injury can be traced to a specific error or act of negligence.

For over 30 years, our Louisville anesthesia error attorneys have fought to expose medical malpractice in Kentucky. We have done so to seek justice for those who have already been injured, and to improve conditions for future patients. If you believe that you or someone you love suffered harm due to an error, mistake, or act of negligence on the part of an anesthesiologist, surgeon, nurse, or any healthcare professional, do not wait to talk to one of our legal professionals about your options. At Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC, your initial consultation is free, and you pay no upfront costs and no legal fees at all unless we win.

Contact us online to see how our Louisville medical malpractice lawyers can help with your anesthesia error claim. Call (502) 244-7772 today.

Types of Anesthesia Errors & Malpractice

With an anesthesia error lawsuit, it will be necessary to prove that the medical professional in question failed to provide a standard level of care. We utilize in-house medical staff and experts in anesthesia and surgery to investigate and prepare these cases, leaving no detail overlooked. Our anesthesia error lawyers in Louisville work to build compelling cases to prove malpractice and help our clients secure maximum compensation for the injuries they have experienced.

Common anesthesia errors or malpractice include:

• Administering too much anesthesia
• Administering too little anesthesia
• Negligent monitoring of a patient under general anesthesia
• Administering anesthesia to which the patient has a known allergy
• Adverse drug reaction caused by anesthesia and another medication
• Failing to provide thorough, accurate information to a patient prior to anesthesia

Brain injuries and other organ damage and even death can result from anesthesia malpractice. 

Filing a Surgical Malpractice Claim After an Anesthesia Error

Just like any other medical malpractice claims, filing a surgical malpractice claim after an anesthesia error can be very complex. In order to make a determination about the existence of a valid legal claim, a victim’s medical records must be obtained and assessed by a medical professional. This requires time and can be a lengthy process if the defendant is reluctant to release the victim’s medical records. There is an intensive process of assessing a victim’s medical records to determine whether or not there is a valid legal claim and if there is one, who should be held legally responsible for the victim’s injury.

Kentucky also requires victims of medical malpractice to file a certificate of merit along with their complaint to commence an action in court. A certificate of merit is a sworn statement by a licensed medical professional that the victim’s claim has been reviewed and that the victim has a reasonable basis to commence legal action. The medical professional must be one who is knowledgeable and experienced in the particular area of medicine or surgery concerning the victim’s claim.

The Louisville medical malpractice lawyers at Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC have extensive knowledge and experience filing surgical malpractice claims for those who have experienced anesthesia errors. Our team of surgery malpractice attorneys in Louisville specialize in handling complex medical negligence claims throughout Kentucky and work to secure maximum compensation for every client.

How Much Time Do I Have to File an Anesthesia Error Claim in Kentucky?

Under KRS 413.140(1)(e), any action against a physician, surgeon, dentist, or hospital for negligence or malpractice must be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrued. This means that a person who wants to make a claim has one year from the time their injury is first discovered or should have been discovered with reasonable care.

Given how complex the process of filing a surgical malpractice case can be, one year can go by very quickly. Because of this, it is highly recommended to reach out to a surgical error lawyer in Louisville as soon as possible. If swift action is not taken by the victim, they could lose their opportunity to get compensation for the harm they suffered from anesthesia errors during their surgical procedure.

What If the Injury Was Not Immediately Discovered After Surgery?

Because time is an essential factor in determining whether a victim can even file a claim, when a victim discovers or should have discovered their injury they must act quickly to protect their right to make a claim. 

When a patient experiences an undesirable outcome from a medical procedure, they may continue follow-up care with their doctor, trusting that their injury would be resolved. To avoid the unfortunate situation of a patient running out of time because they trusted their doctor to resolve their injury, a patient may be protected against the running of time by the continuous treatment doctrine.

Under this doctrine, the statute of limitations is tolled as long as the patient is under the continuing care of the doctor for the injury caused by the substandard care they received. The doctrine is limited as a patient who, maybe in frustration, leaves the care of one doctor to get relief from another doctor in the same hospital may not be protected by the continuous treatment doctrine. The courts in Kentucky will not expand the Doctrine to situations when a patient continues to receive care at the same hospital but not by the same doctor.

Reach Out To Our Louisville Anesthesia Error Lawyers For Legal Help

At Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC, we have in-house medical staff to assist in case preparation and investigations. With help from our experienced Louisville personal injury lawyers, we can quickly take action to protect your claim from running out of time. Seek justice today with a Louisville anesthesia error lawyer at Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC in your corner. Call (502) 244-7772 to schedule your free consultation.