It’s the stuff of nightmares. A healthy teen goes to get their wisdom teeth extracted and winds up dead. Those were the circumstances in another state last year that plunged one family into grief and horror.
The teen’s surviving parents filed a lawsuit last year alleging both medical malpractice and negligence. Learn more about this and other similar cases below.
Maximizing profits over patient safety
That’s exactly what one oral surgeon did in the above case. Armed with a permit authorizing him to administer anesthesia to his oral surgery patients, the doctor decided to “wear two hats” and act as both anesthesiologist and surgeon.
Consequently, he was distracted for several minutes with the teeth extraction and failed to notice that his patient’s airway had closed.
Common reaction from anesthesia
Had the doctor retained an anesthesiologist to monitor the patient, that doctor would have noticed the closed airway and responded accordingly to save the patient’s life.
Sadly, that didn’t occur due to the doctor’s choice to prioritize profits over safety and bill double for what is typically two fees covered by patients’ insurance providers.
Too many negligent incidents
As grieving spouses and family members all over the United States can attest, medical malpractice and negligence occur far too often to vulnerable patients. When tragedies like this occur, families realize that no compensation can equal the value of still having their loved one in their midst.
However, seeking civil justice is often the only way bereaved loved ones can hold these negligent providers accountable for their tremendous losses. If you lost a family member due to medical malpractice, you must take action before the statute of limitations expires.