Anesthesia Errors. Anesthesia Malpractice Lawyers in Cleveland

How The Mellino Law Firm Can Help You

At The Mellino Law Firm, we have extensive experience handling anesthesia error claims. Our founding attorney, Chris Mellino, has personally handled several anesthesia lawsuits—and won.

Chris represented a woman who, on September 10, 2010, underwent elective surgery. Beforehand, she told several people that she was severely allergic to the drug Atrovent and this was noted in her chart.

“Her body shut down shortly after the anesthesia doctor chose to give her a drug that was almost identical to the drug she’s allergic to,” Chris told jurors in 2013. “Not only that, but they were completely caught off-guard by the anesthesia allergy. The anesthesia doctor wasn’t even in the room when the patient stopped breathing.”

In this clear case of negligence, the jury awarded the plaintiff $3 million.

Errors in judgment have caused serious or even fatal injuries, such as brain damage, heart attacks, collapsed lungs, and stroke. If you suffered any of these as a result of an anesthesia mistake, you may be entitled to compensation for medical costs, long-term disability, rehabilitation, lost income, and other damages.

Call (440) 333-3800 or submit an online contact form to schedule a free case evaluation with our anesthesia error attorneys in Cleveland.

How Do Anesthesia Complications Happen?

Medical malpractice claims for anesthesia mistakes commonly involve the following:

• Failing to ask about a patient’s medical history and allergies
• Neglecting to monitor the patient during sedation
• Using defective or unsanitary equipment
• Incorrectly intubating the patient
• Administering an incorrect dosage of anesthesia
• Failing to check for interactions with other medications

On August 4, 2011, Time magazine reported that general anesthesia-related deaths are on the rise since more people are being operated on these days. “Anesthesia can be particularly risky on older patients with heart problems or high blood pressure,” the article stated. In fact, 1 in 10 patients over age 65 die each year.

“With the growing use of anesthetics in the elderly and other at-risk groups, understanding the minimal dose required to induce the necessary level of anesthesia is hugely important,” said Prof. Hugh Perry, who chairs the Neurosciences and Mental Health Board at the Medical Research Council.

On the other hand, if a patient is given too little anesthesia, he or she may awaken during surgery, yet be unable to speak or move. This condition, called anesthesia awareness, results in the ability to feel pain during surgery as well as the ability to hear and remember what was said in the operating room.

This may cause post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

Backed by Proven Results in Anesthesia Error Cases

Chris Mellino has focused on malpractice cases involving anesthesia mistakes throughout his career. He and his former partner settled one claim for $22.5 million after an epidural anesthesia mistake rendered a 36-year-old mother brain damaged, paralyzed, and unable to communicate. They settled another for $15 million after an hour-long incident left a 21-month-old child with brain damage and spastic quadriplegia.

If you suffered from anesthesia complications as a result of malpractice, contact our Cleveland anesthesia error lawyers at (440) 333-3800 for a free consultation.