Hospital, two doctors fined `25L for medical negligence

The Delhi consumer commission has directed a private hospital and two orthopaedics to pay Rs 25 lakh as compensation to a patient who had suffered 40 per cent disability on his left leg due to medical negligence.

The commission directed Sunder Lal Jain Hospital at Ashok Vihar Phase III in North Delhi, to pay Rs 15 lakh to Lalit Sayal who approached them after suffering a fracture in his leg in November 1993.

It also asked the two orthopaedics who had treated the Ashok Vihar resident, to pay Rs five lakh each for negligence which had caused 40 per cent disability. “Medical negligence has resulted into permanent disability of left leg and the complainant had undergone treatment for over 23 years and as per him he is still under continuous treatment by way of dressing etc,” a bench of President Justice Veena Birbal and member Salma Noor said.

“There was a loss of earning to him also. The disability has affected his future earning also. Considering the overall facts and circumstances, we award a total amount of Rs 25 lakh to the complainant,” it said.