After 23 yrs, patient gets Rs 1 lakh compensation

After 23 years of a wrong side surgery on a patient, the apex consumer commission has directed a Chennai-based multi-speciality hospital to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation to him.

The national consumer disputes redressal commission said Chennai-based C S I Rainy Hospital had not taken the “required reasonable degree of care and caution” while treating the patient and held it guilty of medical negligence.

The commission passed the judgement while setting aside the Tamil Nadu state consumer commission’s 2007 order dismissing the plea of the patient.

“We are unable to uphold the order of state commission and set aside the same. The hospital being guilty of medical negligence is directed to pay the patient Rs 1,00,000 as compensation for unnecessary suffering and agony caused to him and to his family,” said the bench presided by Justice Ashok Bhan.

The appellant, Chennai resident Javeed, had said when he was two years old he was admitted to the multi-speciality hospital for treatment of hernia, a bulging of internal organs or tissues.

He had said he was diagnosed as suffering from hernia on the right side of his groin and the hospital said he would require a surgery.

However, on August 12, 1989 the hospital operated on his left side instead, he added.