If you have a serious medical emergency that leaves you unable to breathe, you may be intubated. This is often a critical procedure that medical staff in hospitals and surgery rooms perform to provide patients with respiratory support and sometimes deliver anesthesia. Unfortunately, even well-trained healthcare professionals can make mistakes, leading to devastating and sometimes permanent injuries.
If you believe that a doctor’s or nurse’s negligence when performing this procedure harmed you, you may be able to recover financial compensation with the help of a Southfield intubation complications lawyer. At Thurswell Law, we have been holding doctors accountable since 1968, and our surgical error attorneys could help you understand your rights and determine whether you have a case.
What Does Improper or Negligent Intubation Look Like?
Intubation involves inserting a flexible tube into the patient’s windpipe through the nose or mouth. The medical professional uses a tool called a laryngoscope to guide it past the vocal cords. The tube itself keeps the airway open and connects to a machine that delivers oxygen to the lungs. It is a common procedure in emergency situations or during surgery when the patient is unable to breathe on their own.
It is also very invasive and requires a high degree of skill and care to perform properly without causing further harm to the patient. A small error in any part of the process can have serious consequences.
Errors could include:
- Inserting the tube into the esophagus
- Failing to fully insert the tube into the airway
- Failing to find the airway
- Using the wrong size tube
- Using the laryngoscope poorly
Since the purpose of intubation is to provide oxygen, improper placement can lead to hypoxia, a dangerous condition where the body does not get sufficient oxygen. Without treatment, this could result in permanent brain damage or death. Intubation can also cause physical injuries to the throat, lungs, and vocal cords. Our experienced attorneys could help patients who have been hurt by an improper or negligent intubation procedure in a Southfield hospital seek financial compensation.
Understanding the Legal Implications of a Malpractice Claim
Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals must meet a high standard of care due to the nature of their work. Providing treatment that falls below this standard and results in harm to the patient is known as medical malpractice.
The first step in a claim is to determine who was responsible for performing the procedure. Most of the time, it is the anesthesiologist, but in emergency situations, a nurse, surgeon, or EMT member could intubate a patient. After identifying the negligent party, the patient may file a claim to recover compensation from the provider’s malpractice insurance.
Like all states, Michigan has a strict time limit for when a patient must file a claim, known as the statute of limitations. For malpractice cases, this limit is two years from the date of the incident. There may be some exceptions, including if medical staff concealed issues with the intubation or the patient discovered the harm later, but it is still important to retain our Southfield attorneys as soon as possible.
Talk to Our Attorneys in Southfield About Complications After an Intubation Procedure
A Southfield intubation complications lawyer from Thurswell Law could explain your legal rights and help you file a claim. Doctors are responsible for keeping their patients healthy and should be held accountable when they are negligent in this duty.
Our team of experienced attorneys could work toward getting you the compensation you need following a failed procedure. Get in contact with Thurswell Law for a free consultation with one of our lawyers.
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