E-Paper
Trust, insurance firm told to pay ₹4 lakh to patient for medical negligence
Kaushalya Devi, 65, of village Ladhana Jhikka in SBS Nagar district, who had filed a complaint with forum on July 26, 2019, said that she had consulted Dr Pritampal Singh of the trust for abdomen pain.
District consumer dispute redressal forum, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, has directed Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Educational Trust, Banga, of Guru Nanak Mission hospital and United India Insurance Company to jointly pay ₹2 lakh as compensation for medical negligence and ₹1.89 lakh for expenses to a patient. They were also directed to pay ₹5,000 as litigation expenses and ₹5,000 in legal aid account of the forum.
Kaushalya Devi, 65, of village Ladhana Jhikka in SBS Nagar district, who had filed a complaint with forum on July 26, 2019, said that she had consulted Dr Pritampal Singh of the trust for abdomen pain. The doctor advised her to go for a minor operation costing ₹10,000. During the surgery her uterus was to be removed, however, the doctor negligently cut the urine bladder and later referred her to to IVY Hospital in the district. The hospital told her that it will take more than six months to recover the damaged urine bladder and one more operation will be required after six months.
The opposite parties pleaded that the complaint is not maintainable and there was no deficiency in service on their part. The hospital pleaded that they were covered under the insurance policy bearing issued by United India Insurance and prayed that in case any amount is payable to the complainant, the same is covered by Insurance firm.
The forum observed that the operation was conducted on July 17, 2019, while the ultrasound report was generated in October 2018, which is 8 months earlier from the operation date. “It appears from documentary record that Dr Pritampal is not serious about human life as he did not conduct the concerned tests up to date before the operation in question.”
“It is the duty of this forum to provide justice to a deserving person. Further, no one allowed to play floric with the human body like happened with the complainant before the eyes of the law,” read the order.
