Medical negligence usually does not come to light as Indians mostly believe in fate which is not in the hands of any person.  Moreover it is hard to prove that a medical negligence took place in a case as the patient and family members usually do not have enough medical knowledge to challenge the treatment given to the patient or the ways to fight it. But still some cases on the doubt of gross negligence of the doctors or hospital staff go to courts.

Today the highest penalty in the Indian history is levied by the Supreme Court on a Kolkata based hospital to the tune of Rs.5.96 crores which has to be shared by three doctors to pay as compensation to the victim’s nearest relation.

It became possible because the case was filed by a medical doctor Saha working in Ohio.  Dr.Saha’s wife Anuradha who came to India was admitted in AMRI Hospital at Kolkata in 1998 in the month of March.  When she developed rashes on her skin in the month of April the doctors simply said nothing to worry and asked her to take rest.  When the problem aggravated in the month of May, the doctors gave her injections twice a day which were not right medicines as per the medical experts of the Apex Court noticed.

As the AMRI was found guilty the case was referred to NCDRC which in turn fixed a compensation of Rs.1.7 crores in 2009.  But Dr. Saha moved Supreme Court for a compensation of Rs.200 crores for the negligence of the doctors that caused the death of his wife plus interest on it from 1998.

However the Supreme Court today fixed the compensation of Rs.5.96 crores that should be shared by the three doctors responsible for the negligence.

-SriJa