Neurologist told to pay ₹5 lakh compensation for negligence

Complaint filed by parents of woman who died while undergoing treatment

A consumer commission directed a neurosurgeon to pay ₹5 lakh as compensation to the family of a person who died while undergoing treatment at a city hospital.

The Telangana State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Hyderabad was dealing with a complaint filed by D. Srinivas Rao (50) and D. Vanaja (43), parents of the victim, against Dr. P. Asadharan and Karthik Super Speciality Hospital, both in Khammam.

The complainants’ daughter Snehitha was taken to the opposite parties in Khammam on November 17, 2012, and admitted to the hospital two days later. An MRI lumbar spine test was conducted a day after.

The commission noted that the report stated there were no obvious protruded discs and that incidental lipc haemangioma involving D 10 vertebral body marked as distended bowl loops. Only a conservative line of treatment was advised, and she was diagnosed with severe low backache para spinal muscle spasm.

Then her parents took her to Osmania University, where she was a student. Here, she developed ‘an abnormal difference in her stomach’ and was suffering from pain.

They consulted the doctor at the varsity who opined that they should get her operated upon. From there, she was taken to Kamineni Hospitals at King Koti, where a laporatomy was conducted but her condition did not improve and she was declared dead on November 24.

For their part, the opposite parties denied all allegations. They stated medication was given and that the complainants were advised they get the blood tests done. The victim was advised strict bed rest. They also stated that despite this advice, they took the victim 200 km away to OU, where she developed problems and later died. The commission took note of this particular submission.

Taking all arguments and evidence placed on record into consideration, the commission stated, “Subjecting the patient for an MRI, opposite party no. 1 doctor failed to notice the observation recorded in the MRI report. He should have alerted the patient about the severity of the complication and should have either addressed the problem or advised the patient and complainant. He failed to do either and treated it as a common place pain by advising bed rest.”

Costs of ₹25,000 were imposed as well.

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