Anesthesia Awareness Lawsuit

About Anesthesia Awareness – Can You Sue if You Wake Up During Surgery?

Our Chicago anesthesia error lawyers understand anesthesia awareness cases and will take on every aspect of your legal claim, ensuring that you and your family’s needs are met and that you receive compensation for your suffering. 

Anesthesia awareness occurs when a patient becomes conscious during surgery and can recall the events of the procedure.

This happens when the dose of anesthesia or anesthesia agents are insufficient to maintain complete unconsciousness. 

If a light anesthesia dosage is inadequate, patients may experience sensations, sounds, or even feel pain, and can sometimes recall these experiences after the surgical procedure.

It is more likely to occur during high-risk surgeries or in patients with specific medical conditions that affect their general anesthetic metabolism. 

Anesthesia awareness can lead to significant psychological distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), necessitating psychological support for affected individuals.

Yes, you may be able to sue if you wake up in the operating during surgery or experience anesthesia awareness, since it can have long-term physical and mental health consequences.  

Our Experience With Anesthesia Awareness Lawsuits

We’re a Chicago-based law firm specializing in medical malpractice with extensive experience representing clients in cases involving anesthesia awareness and other injuries that arise while a patient was under anesthesia. 

We have successfully litigated numerous cases where patients suffered harm due to anesthesia awareness and related complications, securing compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and feeling pain and suffering. 

Our expertise in this area often involves collaborating with medical experts to uncover negligence and advocate for their clients’ rights. 

We focus on malpractice claims in Chicago, Illinois, and the surrounding areas. 

Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers recovered compensation of $1,000,000 for a medical malpractice settlement coming from a medical malpractice event resulting in wrongful death lawsuit.

What Causes Anesthesia Awareness?

Anesthesia awareness is caused by many factors that can result in the patient receiving an inadequate amount of anesthetic to maintain unconsciousness and waking up during surgery in the operating room.

The main causes of anesthesia awareness include but are not limited to:

• Inadequate Anesthetic Dosage. Insufficient dosing of anesthetic drugs, either due to miscalculation or deliberate underdosing to avoid complications in patients with certain health conditions, can lead to awareness.

• Equipment Malfunction. Failures or malfunctions in anesthesia delivery systems can result in inadequate administration of anesthetic agents, including a difficult intubation.

• Patient-Specific Factors. Certain patients, such as those with high tolerance to anesthetic drugs, obesity, or a history of substance abuse, may require higher doses of anesthetics from a standard dose to keep the patient unconscious.

• High-Risk Surgeries. Medical procedures like emergency surgeries, trauma surgeries, and cardiac operations often use lighter anesthesia to avoid complications related to hemodynamic instability, increasing the risk of awareness.

• Medical Conditions. Conditions affecting how anesthetics are metabolized, such as chronic use of opioids or other medications and blood pressure, can interfere with the effectiveness of anesthesia or muscle relaxants.

• Human Error. Mistakes made by the surgical team, anesthesia team or nurse anesthetist, such as incorrect drug administration or failure to properly monitor the patient’s anesthetic depth and vital signs, can lead a patient to regain consciousness.

Mitigating these risks involves careful patient assessment, precise dosing, reliable equipment, and continuous monitoring during surgery.

If these measures are not taken, devastating medical negligence consequences can occur.

Common Complications Resulting From Anesthesia Awareness

Common complications resulting from anesthesia awareness can have significant physical and psychological effects on patients. Some of these complications include:

• Psychological Trauma. Anesthesia awareness can cause significant psychological distress, leading to symptoms such as anxiety, panic attacks, nightmares, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

• Persistent Memory. Patients may have vivid recollections of the surgical procedure, including sensations of pain, pressure, or being unable to move, which can lead to long-lasting emotional trauma.

• Sleep Disturbances. Anesthesia awareness can disrupt sleep patterns and lead to anxiety, insomnia, or other sleep disturbances, further exacerbating psychological distress.

• Chronic Pain. In some cases, patients who experience anesthesia awareness may develop chronic pain related to the traumatic memories of the surgery, leading to long-term physical discomfort.

• Trust Issues. Patients may experience a loss of trust in healthcare providers and fear of undergoing future surgeries or medical procedures, which can impact their overall well-being and healthcare decisions.

Addressing these complications, anxiety, and emotional distress often requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving psychological counseling, support groups, and possibly pharmacological interventions to manage anxiety and PTSD symptoms. 

Preventative measures, such as careful monitoring of anesthesia depth and ensuring adequate dosing, a patient’s medical history, are crucial in minimizing the risk of anesthesia awareness and its associated complications.

If these measures are not taken, the anesthesiologist may be considered negligent and liable in an anesthesia awareness lawsuit.

Anesthesia Awareness Lawsuit FAQs

Get answers to your questions about a local anesthesia overdose malpractice lawsuits from our medical malpractice attorneys if you or a loved one experienced awareness.

How Are Anesthesia Awareness And Similar Injuries Proven In Malpractice Cases?

Malpractice cases involving any kind of anesthesia error (general anesthesia, local anesthesia, regional anesthesia) or complication require certain evidence, including cases involving anesthesia awareness.

Typically, this involves demonstrating that the medical professional(s) involved failed to adhere to the accepted standard of care during the surgical procedure. 

This failure is proven via expert testimony from anesthesiologists or related specialists, medical history record review to identify deviations from protocol, and the establishment of a clear causal link between the error and the resulting injury through medical analysis and documentation.

What Evidence Is Needed For An Anesthesia Awareness Malpractice Lawsuit?

Some examples of key evidence in an anesthesia awareness lawsuit includes medical records detailing the anesthesia plan and associated surgical procedures, any complications, and subsequent treatment. 

Expert testimony from anesthesiologists, doctors, or other relevant medical specialists is often critical for establishing the standard of care and identifying deviations in order to sue the anesthesiologist.

Documentation demonstrating the link between the error and the resulting injury, such as medical evaluations and patient testimony, also strengthens the case for negligence and damages.

Is There A Statute Of Limitations On Anesthesia Awareness Lawsuits In Illinois?

Yes, in Illinois, there is a statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits, including those related to anesthesia awareness and other anesthesia errors. 

A malpractice lawsuit must be filed within 2 years from the date the patient knew or reasonably should have known of the injury, but no more than 4 years from the date of the alleged malpractice. 

However, there are exceptions and nuances to this rule, making it essential to consult with a qualified attorney to understand how the statute of limitations applies to your specific case.

What Kind Of Compensation Can I Expect From A Successful Anesthesia Awareness Lawsuit?

In a successful lawsuit for an anesthesia awareness medical claim, or similar anesthesia error, your compensation typically covers medical expenses related to treating the injury caused by the malpractice, including surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical care. 

Additionally, your compensation may include reimbursement for lost income due to the injury plus damages for pain and suffering endured as a result of the medical malpractice against a doctor, hospital, and medical team. 

The exact amount of compensation you may receive in an anesthesia awareness malpractice lawsuit is based on factors such as the severity of the injury, the impact on the patient’s life, and applicable laws in your jurisdiction.

Find Out If You Have An Anesthesia Awareness Malpractice Case In Chicago, Illinois

Did you or a loved one suffer from anesthesia awareness or a similar complication while you were under anesthesia during an operation that was performed in Illinois?

If you are located in Chicago or the surrounding areas, contact the experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers to help you recover compensation.