A New Orleans man went under anesthesia and awoke with damage to his teeth, according to his medical malpractice lawsuit against Tulane University Hospital and Clinic. In a story at louisianarecord.com, the plaintiff underwent an operation for prostate cancer and “sustained traumatic injury to his anterior teeth and existing prosthetics,” due to the doctor’s negligence.
In his complaint, the plaintiff accuses the doctor of breaching the standard of care, and failing to provide him with enough information to make an informed decision about his treatment. He claims medical expenses and physical and mental pain and suffering.
Claims arising from anesthesia errors are more common that you might think. Injuries from anesthesia range from permanent injury and brain damage to death. The claims can be difficult to prove for the plaintiff because he or she is unconscious or sedated. Getting access to the doctor’s anesthesia records is vital to proving a claim like the one here.
The anesthesia records should show all stages of anesthesia treatment including post-operative care. The nurse’s notes can provide valuable information as well. Doctors and health care workers are not supposed to alter records after the fact, but it does happen. Experienced New Orleans medical malpractice lawyers know what to look for when proving an anesthesia malpractice case.