Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Erode has directed a hospital and an orthopedic surgeon to pay Rs 10.76 lakh to family members of a 49-year-old person who died following treatment.
The bench comprising president K. Sivananthajothi, members M. Balachandran, and Rani Kannan, held that hospital and orthopedic surgeon committed medical negligence and deficiency in service.
In the petition, M. Shanthi, submitted that her husband, P.S. Mohan, field officer in Jupiter Security Service, was travelling on a bike with his son on May 20, 2013, near Maniyampalayam in Poondurai to Vadugapatti.
When the rear tyre of the two-wheeler got punctured, the two of them fell down on the road and sustained injuries. After administering first aid they were taken to Erode Ortho Centre, at about 1.45 p.m.
On seeing the X-ray of Mohan at Erode Ortho Centre, Dr P.R. SenthilRaja, consultant orthopedic surgeon, Maaruthi Medical Centre & Hospitals, Erode, recommended immediate operation on Mohan or his ring finger of would be removed. Mohan was admitted but despite treatment and injection, his condition worsened. He developed unbearable pain and died.
Shanthi, his sons, Vigneswaran and M. Nandhakishore suspected he died due to wrong administration of injection without even conducting test. On November 21, 2013, the trio sent notice to Dr M.N. Sadasivam, managing director, Maaruthi Medical Centre and Dr Senthil Raja.
Denying the allegations, Dr Sadasivam, said the hospital was one of the biggest multi-specialty hospitals in Erode and equipped with all facilities and infrastructure. “The hospital was ISO certified and approved by state and central governments. He was not aware of the cause of death of Mohan. He died due to myocardial infarction and CAHD uncontrolled systemic hypertension. Dr Senthil Raja was neither a fixed time consultant nor he has regular consultation chamber in hospital, he added.
As the patient was not been admitted as an inpatient, he sought the forum to dismiss the petition. The bench directed Maaruthi Medical Centre and Dr Senthil Raja to pay them a compensation of Rs 10,76,000 in two months.
