Anesthesia Error Lawyer in North Carolina

When you undergo surgery under general anesthesia, there is deep trust between you and everyone involved on the surgical team, including the anesthesiologist. Despite that trust, you may go into surgery with a little anxiety. 

Beyond that, you expect to wake up with pain from the procedure itself, not to wake up with injuries that aren’t part of the operation you consented to. You also didn’t expect in a million years that you would leave the hospital needing to speak with an anesthesiology error lawyer about what occurred while you were unconscious. 

When these errors go unchallenged, the medical facility’s version of events becomes the record. That’s especially true after the time to file a medical malpractice lawsuit passes. 

You may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit if your anesthesiologist was negligent. An experienced anesthesiologist attorney can help and provide legal assistance when accountability is required. 

An Anesthesia Error Lawyer in North Carolina That Will Fight for Fair Compensation

At Gloria Becker Law, we represent injury victims throughout North Carolina who were harmed by anesthesia or medical procedures.

If you were treated at a North Carolina hospital or emergency room and suffered harm due to preventable anesthesia mistakes, our experienced medical malpractice attorneys can evaluate your case. 

Going forward with your anesthesia case, we will fight for the compensation you deserve. We have the resources and expertise to hold negligent healthcare providers accountable. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your anesthesia error claim.

Reasons Anesthesia Injuries Happen

While anesthesia injuries should be preventable, they sometimes do occur and often are linked to human error.¹ Anesthesia injuries often happen while patients are unconscious and unable to stop things from happening. The harm is often discovered once the procedure is over or shortly after. 

Operating rooms and outpatient surgical centers can involve time pressure, complex workflows, and the management of several patients at once.  

Several factors contribute to preventable anesthesia errors when safety measures and clinical oversight lapse, including the following:

• Complications are not obvious: Patients are unconscious and cannot communicate breathing problems, distress, or adverse drug reactions when they occur to the medical team.
• Communication and preparation breakdown: Rushed pre-operative checks, poor handoffs between providers, or skipped safety steps can increase the likelihood of anesthesia errors.
• Improper intubation: The failure to manage airways and oxygen delivery with an intubation tube can cause oxygen levels to drastically fall and lead to oxygen deprivation. This failure can cause lasting harm such as brain damage.

Signs Your Anesthesia Injury Could Have Been Preventable

Certain warning signs like these below can indicate an anesthesia error occurred rather than a complication from surgery that can’t be avoided:

• Severe rashes, hives, and swelling: These reactions often appear shortly after anesthesia is administered. When allergies and prior reactions to anesthesia aren’t properly reviewed by the anesthesiologist and accounted for, the risk of preventable harm goes up.
• Neurological Issues: Brain injury, persistent confusion, other unexpected neurological issues may point to oxygen deprivation or delayed response to warning signs during the procedure.
• Cardiovascular or respiratory distress: Ongoing breathing difficulty, wheezing, chest pain, or abnormal blood pressure can be signs of problems with airway management or oxygen delivery during anesthesia delivery. 
• Physical Injuries: Paralysis, nerve damage, dental injuries, or vocal cord damage may indicate airway or positioning errors during anesthesia. 
• Awareness during anesthesia: Waking up or feeling pain during surgery can be signs of inadequate sedation or dosing errors during anesthesia. 

Steps to Take If You Suspect an Anesthesia Error

Patients and families are rarely told the full story on day one. They may be told the injury was “a complication” or “a known risk.” Known risks, however, are not the same thing as medical negligence.

The hospital typically follows internal protocols after adverse events and has legal counsel in place if safety standards are breached and a patient is harmed by anesthesia. 

Anesthesia injuries often leave patients with medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and reduced quality of life. You have a right to seek fair compensation for these damages through a medical malpractice lawsuit when preventable anesthesia errors cause harm 

If you strongly believe you're a victim of an anesthesia error in the Tar Heel State, taking prompt and decisive action helps you guard your legal rights and build a strong case.

Take the following steps to begin building your case and protecting your rights.

Step 1: Obtain all medical records immediately. 

Request complete copies from the medical facility or clinic where you were initially treated. Do the same for subsequent hospitalizations and follow-up care. These records are evidence that show what tests were performed and the results. It also shows what your healthcare providers knew at the time.

Step 2: Seek an independent medical review.

Any physician who is not involved in your care can review your records and assess whether your injury should have been identified or prevented.

Step 3: Meticulously document your injuries and losses.

Keep a detailed journal of your symptoms, when they occurred, what you told doctors, and how your condition has progressed. Save all medical bills, prescription receipts, and records of lost wages. Take photographs of visible injuries or limitations.

Step 4: Preserve all related evidence. 

Keep discharge instructions, medication containers, and any notes from medical visits. Also, preserve electronic records such as photos, messages, patient portal communications, emails, and any device data related to your care. Do not delete or alter anything connected to the incident.

Step 5: Avoid public discussions of the incident. 

Don’t discuss your case publicly, especially on your socials. Insurance companies and defense attorneys routinely monitor social media accounts looking for statements they can use against you. Even innocent posts about your activities can be misinterpreted as evidence you're not as injured as you claim.

Step 6: Consult an anesthesia error lawyer ASAP. 

Act quickly to consult with your attorney because in North Carolina the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims is three years from the date of the incident. After that, you’re barred from filing your claim. Don’t wait, either, since investigating these cases takes time and records become harder to obtain.

Contact Your Trusted Anesthesia Error Lawyer in North Carolina Today

Pursuing a medical malpractice claim isn't just about compensation. It's about justice and preventing the same negligence from harming other patients. 

At Gloria Becker Law, we understand the devastating impact of medical negligence on patients and families. Our firm works with top medical experts who can review your records, explain how the standard of care was breached, and testify on your behalf. 

Additionally, we understand the nuances of anesthesia care protocols and can identify when doctors cut corners or made preventable errors.

We take a compassionate, client-centered approach during what we know is an incredibly difficult time. You'll work directly with experienced attorneys who will keep you informed, answer your questions, and fight tirelessly for the compensation you deserve. Call us at  919-748-9400 or fill out our online contact form to speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney who can assess your claim and explain your legal options. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we win your case.