Home / Health / Medical Negligence: Rs 6 Lakh Compensation Awarded
Medical Negligence: Rs 6 Lakh Compensation Awarded
8 Sep
Summary
- Compensation for medical negligence in ovarian cyst surgery increased to Rs 6 lakh.
- Doctor's knowledge of patient's surgical history was crucial in the ruling.
- Patient died due to septicemia following complications from ovarian cyst surgery.
In a significant ruling, the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) increased compensation to Rs 6 lakh for medical negligence. The case involved the ovarian cyst surgery of a Kerala woman in 2007, which led to her death from septicemia.
The NCDRC identified a clear deficiency in the treating doctor's actions and noted that complications like ureter injury were foreseeable, especially given the patient's history of previous abdominal surgeries. The commission highlighted that the doctor should have been more aware of the need for urologist consultation and speedier investigations upon the patient's re-admission.
The patient's children alleged that their mother's condition was misrepresented and the surgery performed negligently. Post-surgery, she developed severe complications and was discharged prematurely. Diagnostic scans later revealed ureter damage, leading to a second surgery and eventual death.
While the NCDRC could not directly impute negligence in the surgical act itself, it found fault in the doctor's subsequent management and lack of anticipation of likely complications. The initial compensation of Rs 3.75 lakh ordered by the Kerala State Consumer Commission was deemed insufficient by the deceased's children.
