City doctors told to cough up Rs 10 lakh for medical negligence

S Murthy and K M Shivamma had approached the Forum alleging that their son M Girish died due to negligence of Dr K R Srimurthy and two others.

According to the complaint, Girish was admitted to Bangalore Hospital on May 7, 2010 with complaints of fever, pain in abdomen and was operated after he was diagnosed with stone in the urinary bladder. The three doctors, though incompetent, conducted a laparoscopic surgery to remove the stone, they alleged.

When the patient’s condition worsened, the doctors diagnosed him with perforation of bowel and shifted him to the intensive care unit (ICU). He was operated again and put on ventilator on May 11. Girish died on June 5, 2010.

Counsel for the complainants, M Rajashekar submitted that the parents were not permitted to go inside the ICU. The doctors even refused to furnish the summary report. The doctors said there was a hole in the intestine of the patient. They conducted the second surgery without taking parents’ permission, the counsel argued. 

The post mortem report revealed that Girish died due to septicemia. Another report by Dr P K Devdas, Professor and HoD, Forensic Medicine,Victoria Hospital also confirmed that the septicemia was due to perforation of the large intestine during the surgery performed on May 8. 

Rajashekar said the report had stated that the doctors were incompetent to conduct laparoscopic surgery and caused injury to the large intestine. The doctors did not notice the holes for want of professional skill and the death is due to gross negligence of the operation, the counsel contended.

Doctors’ version
The doctors said the case was an attempt to tarnish their image. Girish was suffering from various ailments and underwent operation for double urethra with hypospadiasis on April 23, 1996, they said.

In their affidavit, they refuted the allegations that the parents were not allowed to see their son in the ICU.

Besides, Dr Srimurthy, who attended on Girish, is an experienced laparoscopic surgeon and despite his best efforts, Girish’s health deteriorated. They alleged that Girish’s relatives created ruckus and didn’t pay the hospital bill to the tune of Rs 1.57 lakh.

The parents of Girish had sought a compensation of Rs 19 lakh while the forum awarded a compensation of Rs10.10 lakh. The doctors were directed to pay the sum within 30 days with 12 per cent interest from the date of filing the complaint.