Undergoing a surgical procedure can be worrisome as many different complications may arise and recovery may be difficult. The situation becomes exponentially more terrifying if the anesthesia administered to you was not enough to render you properly unconscious. An estimated 40 million or more patients receive anesthesia each year in order to avoid the trauma, distress, and pain that may occur if you are awake during an operation.

Being awake during a procedure is often referred to as “anesthesia awareness.” Anesthesia awareness can mean being conscious when they begin the procedure or regaining consciousness at some point during the surgery. Being aware at any time in the surgical process can lead to extreme anxiety and stress and can even result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD and related mental conditions can have a significant effect on your life and can require extensive treatment.

If the anesthesiologist does not adequately check to make sure you are completely unconscious during a procedure, the law allows you to hold the responsible parties liable for their actions and recover for your losses including mental distress and physical pain and suffering.

Other types of anesthesiologist errors

Anesthesiologists face a large amount of medical malpractice claims because of the high potential for errors that can cause serious physical and mental injury to patients. Some additional anesthesia errors can include the following:

• Giving a patient too much of a certain anesthetic drug
• Allowing a patient to remain too aware during a procedure
• Waiting too long to administer the anesthesia
• Not properly examining a patient’s medical history, allergic reactions, or prescription drugs to determine possible interactions or complications
• Not educating a patient on proper behavior before and after receiving anesthesia
• Failing to monitor a patient while under anesthesia and give them oxygen if necessary
• Using unsanitary or incorrect equipment to administer the anesthesia

If you woke up during surgery, call a Sacramento anesthesiologist error attorney today

There is no excuse for allowing a patient to be awake during any part of a surgical procedure and experience the physical pain and emotional distress associated with such an experience. Anesthesiologists should be held liable when they make mistakes and injured victims deserve full compensation under the law. Anyone who has been a victim should contact the Teal Law Group for a free consultation today.