The District Consumer Commission recently granted D Saipreman ₹20 lakh in compensation for the unfortunate event that occurred in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where his wife passed away as a result of suspected medical malpractice at Kalpana Hospital. The case clarifies important questions about medical malpractice, patient safety, and victims’ and families’ legal rights in similar situations.On January 12, 2018, Rajalakshmi, the spouse of D Saipreman, was brought to Kalpana Hospital for an open reduction and internal fixation procedure. She had suffered injuries in a motorbike accident. But things took a sad turn the night before her planned surgery when a nurse gave her an injection of furosemide and gave her a blood transfusion. She reported feeling pain in her body shortly after, but even though she told the duty nurse, no doctor saw her right away.
Things quickly grew worse. After the blood transfusion was stopped, Rajalakshmi experienced chills and a high fever in the early morning. Sadly, she was not taken to a multispecialty hospital for critical care or given emergency medical attention. Sadly, she died the next morning at seven o’clock.
Acute lung damage from the blood transfusion was the cause of Rajalakshmi’s death, according to the postmortem examination. This information brought home the dire repercussions of the purported carelessness in the final hours before her death.
Following this tragic event, D. Saipreman filed a petition with the District Consumer Commission to obtain justice for his wife’s premature death. The panel, which was made up of President R Thangavel and Members P Marimuthu and G Suguna, decided in favor of the petitioner following a rigorous legal procedure. They ordered the four Kalpana Hospital doctors who were engaged in the case to compensate Saipreman with ₹20 lakh. A minimal amount of ₹5,000 was also mandated to cover the expense of the court proceedings.
The commission’s ruling emphasizes the seriousness of the alleged wrongdoing in this instance and serves as a reminder of the legal channels open to victims of medical malpractice who want justice and compensation. Cases involving medical negligence frequently depend on demonstrating that medical staff violated their duty of care to patients, causing injury or death that could have been avoided.
Though it cannot make up for the loss experienced, the compensation is intended to help the victim’s family deal with the financial and emotional burden. It emphasizes how important it is for medical professionals to uphold strict standards of care, particularly while performing life-saving treatments like blood transfusions when patient safety is of the utmost importance.
This instance also makes people think about more general problems with the healthcare system, like how strict control, following procedures, and accountability systems are necessary to stop tragedies like this one. Initiating patient safety programs, educating medical staff on emergency response procedures, and cultivating an environment of openness and responsibility in hospitals are essential measures in averting medical malpractice incidents in the future.
The unfortunate death of Rajalakshmi at Kalpana Hospital in Coimbatore, allegedly as a result of medical malpractice, highlights the terrible consequences of patient care errors. It is a sobering reminder of the necessity of strong legislative frameworks to defend patient rights and guarantee responsibility in the provision of healthcare. Though the victim’s family has suffered irreversible loss, the District Consumer Commission’s award of compensation provides a measure of justice.
SOURCE:
TIMES OF INDIA
