TIWN Dec 9, 2024
AGARTALA / CHANNAI, Dec 9 (TIWN): Renowned Apollo hospital in Chennai was found guilty of negligence in providing patient care and compensation has been awarded to the victim family by court ( NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION), Advocate of the case Prashanta Kumar Pal informed media. Dulurani Saha, a resident of Badharghat Matrispalli, Agartala, was admitted to Apollo Hospital, Chennai on 11th January 2007 for gall bladder surgery and on 12th January 2007, Surgeon T. Prithvi Raj performed the gall bladder surgery. Rs. 76,930 had to be paid to Apollo Hospital for medical expenses.
After being discharged from the hospital on 21.01.2007, she returned to Agartala.
On 04/05/2007, Dulurani Saha again underwent severe stomach pain. She was initially treated by surgeon B. Chowdhury in Agartala. Then on 19/11/2007, she was shifted to I.L.S Hospital in Kolkata and after various clinical tests including ultra sonography, the surgeon Dr. Samaresh Banerjee again performed an operation on Dulurani Saha with the written consent of her family. During the operation, a towel with the logo and number of Apollo Hospital was taken out from inside Saha's stomach.
Dulurani Saha suffered physical exhaustion and suffering for a long period of 1 year due to the negligence of Apollo Hospital services, for which she served a legal notice on 05/11/2008 to Apollo Hospital seeking appropriate compensation. After receiving no satisfactory response from Apollo Hospital, the applicant filed a case in the Consumer Protection Court, Agartala, West Tripura Court in 2009 seeking compensation of a total of Rs. 7,62,240 for the deterioration of her physical condition and suffering for a long period of 1 year due to the negligence of Apollo Hospital.
But since the Agartala Consumer Protection Court was out of the jurisdiction, the petitioner had to withdraw and the case was re-filed in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Thiruvallur, Chennai on 05/01/2010. The case number is RBT/CC.No 39/2010.
After a long 16-year legal battle, the Consumer Protection Court found Apollo Hospital guilty and ordered the petitioner to pay a total compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs on 21/05/2024 for mental anguish, financial crisis, pain and suffering, and medical negligence.
The applicant is currently 80 years old.
The case was handled by Advocate Prashant Kumar Pal, K. Elas G, Chamki Raj (Chennai), Mihir Kanti Roy, and Subir Vaidya.