Anesthesia is administered for most surgeries today, whether the procedure is performed in a hospital, an ambulatory surgery center, or a doctor’s office. Anesthesiologists and other surgical or medical staff members have a duty to avoid mistakes by not rushing or cutting corners while patients are under the influence of anesthesia in preoperative, surgical, recovery, and post-operative settings. When that duty is breached, the results can be devastating and life-altering.

If you have undergone surgery or a medical procedure that required you to be under anesthesia and you have residual side effects, you may be eligible to receive a settlement to compensate for the financial losses you have sustained due to lack of income and incurred medical bills. At Wagner Reese, our anesthesia error attorneys in Indianapolis understand how to investigate, prepare, and litigate complex medical malpractice cases, and we are ready to fight for the full compensation you deserve.

How Do Anesthesia Mistakes Happen?

Anesthesiologists are, in general, highly trained professionals. However, whether due to simple human error, negligence, or outright malpractice, anesthesia mistakes can and do occur. Research published through the National Institutes of Health found that situational awareness failures contributed to death or brain damage in nearly three out of four closed anesthesia malpractice claims, underscoring just how serious and far-reaching these errors can be.

Common Causes of Anesthesia Errors

Some of the most common causes of these types of mistakes include the following. This list is not exhaustive; there are many other causes of anesthesia errors, including negligent administration of anesthesia, drug or alcohol use by the anesthesiologist, prolonging sedation, and defective or faulty medical equipment.

  • Dosage Errors: A patient may receive an incorrect anesthesia dosage if a product is labeled incorrectly or if the anesthesiologist administers an improper dosage.
  • Failure to Intubate or Intubation Mistakes: Patients are typically intubated when they receive anesthesia in order to help them breathe. Failure to do this, or incorrectly intubating a patient, can be considered an anesthesia error.
  • Delayed Administration: If anesthesia administration is delayed due to complications like IV errors or vaporizer leakage, it can cause serious injury.
  • Failure to Recognize and Respond to Complications: Some patients have a negative reaction to anesthesia; if an anesthesiologist fails to recognize or react to the symptoms, he or she has acted negligently.
  • Improper Patient Monitoring: Leaving the patient alone right after administering anesthesia, failure to monitor consciousness, or leaving the patient unattended are all forms of anesthesia negligence.
  • Failure to Monitor Oxygen Levels: A pulse oximeter is often used to monitor a patient’s oxygen levels while under anesthesia. Failure to monitor the device or turning off the alarm are examples of negligence.
  • Communication Errors: Examples of communication errors regarding anesthesia negligence include failing to inform the patient of possible side effects, failing to tell the patient not to eat or drink before the procedure, or failing to ask about the patient’s medical history.

Understanding which category of error applies to your situation is an important first step, and our team can help you identify what went wrong and who is responsible.

What to Do If You or a Loved One Suffered Due to an Anesthesia Mistake

Few things are as distressing as realizing that the person you have trusted to care for your health and safety has failed in that duty. It is understandable that, following an anesthesia mistake, you may feel upset, angry, or confused. However, there are important steps you should take right away in order to protect your rights, including your right to compensation.

Taking Action After an Anesthesia Error

If you believe you are the victim of medical malpractice, first, remain calm. Rather than try to deal with the issue yourself, reach out to an experienced medical malpractice attorney in Indianapolis who can clearly discuss your rights and legal options. Documenting your symptoms, preserving medical records, and acting quickly are all critical to building a strong claim. In some cases, a provider’s failure to diagnose a pre-existing condition before administering anesthesia can itself constitute negligence, adding another layer to the legal analysis.

How Medication Errors Factor Into Anesthesia Cases

Anesthesia involves the use of powerful drugs that must be carefully selected, dosed, and monitored throughout a procedure. When a provider chooses the wrong medication, miscalculates a dose, or fails to account for dangerous interactions, the harm can be irreversible. These situations often overlap with broader medication error claims, and we pursue all responsible parties when building a case for our clients. Whether the error occurred in the operating room, the recovery room, or the pre-operative setting, our attorneys know how to identify where the standard of care was breached and by whom.

Why Choose Wagner Reese for Your Anesthesia Error Claim

Anesthesia error cases are among the most technically demanding in the field of medical malpractice litigation. Establishing negligence requires a thorough review of anesthesia records, surgical notes, monitoring data, and testimony from qualified medical professionals. Insurance companies and hospital legal teams will work aggressively to minimize liability, which is why having a knowledgeable legal team in your corner matters from the very beginning. Retaining an attorney as early as possible also helps preserve critical evidence and ensures Indiana’s statute of limitations does not bar your claim.

Our legal team at Wagner Reese brings more than 150 years of combined experience to complex medical negligence matters, including cases involving anesthesia errors in Indianapolis and across Indiana. We know how to investigate these claims thoroughly, work with the right medical professionals to evaluate what went wrong, and build a compelling case designed to hold negligent providers accountable for the full extent of the harm caused.

Contact Wagner Reese for a Free Consultation

At Wagner Reese, our anesthesia error lawyers in Indianapolis have the experience and dedication to handle even the most complex medical negligence cases. We understand how distressing it is to suffer harm at the hands of someone you trusted with your care, and we are committed to pursuing every avenue of compensation available to you. There is no cost to retain our firm unless we recover compensation on your behalf.

Discuss your situation with our legal team today. We offer free consultations and are ready to clearly explain your rights and legal options in plain terms. Schedule your complimentary case evaluation to take the first step toward justice and recovery.